Have A Little Faith In Me
by Shanna1
Summary: When Lexie find outs she's pregnant Mark has to convince her he won't run for the hills.
1. Chapter 1

Callie and Arizona were sat in the cafeteria talking when Meredith walked up dropping her tray on the table.

"Men!" She exclaimed.

"What did Shepherd do?" Arizona inquired recognising the annoyed by the one you are with tone.

"Why are men such jerks?" Lexie dropped her tray and sat down.

"You two really are related." Callie smirked. "What did Sloan do?"

"Give me one of those." Cristina pulled up a chair and stole a French fry from Meredith's plate.

"Hunt trouble?" Arizona guessed.

"See this is the benefit of being a lesbian not having men trouble." Callie pointed out.

"Is there a class?" Cristina asked.

"Maybe you need a testosterone free night." Arizona suggested. They all looked at her. "All I was saying is you work with them and either live or practically live with them. You need a night off."

"Girls night." Meredith said.

"As long as there is tequila." Cristina agreed as Meredith's pager went off.

"My house at 7." Meredith got to her feet. "Figure out which of the four of you is bringing the alcohol and who is bringing the pizza,"

"You walked us into that one." Callie stated.

"I'm eating this." Cristina called out pulling Meredith's lunch in front of her.

Meredith open the door just before seven to find Lexie holding four pizza boxes and a carrier bag.

"Hey Lex." She let her sister in.

"I brought ice-cream too."

"I'm making margaritas." Meredith informed her as Lexie followed her into the kitchen. "Want one?"

"I can't." Lexie set the pizza on the table and put the ice-cream into the freezer.

"A few margaritas won't change you into Thatcher."

"That's not why I can't drink. This is." Lexie pulled a crumpled piece out of her pocket and handed it to Meredith.

"Who is Alexandra Black and why do you have her lab results?"

"Me." Lexie replied.

"Lexie, this says you are pregnant."

"I grabbed the results on the way out the hospital; I didn't open it until I was waiting for the pizza." Lexie sank into one of the chairs.

"You're pregnant." Meredith repeated.

"Who is pregnant?" Callie asked as she had let herself in with Arizona and Cristina.

"Lexie." Meredith replied.

"Congratulations." Arizona offered.

"You and McSteamy decided to reproduce." Cristina grabbed a slice of pizza.

"Cristina." Meredith chastised.

"I was saying he has good genes."

"What did Mark say when you told him?" Callie inquired. Lexie looked at her and then buried her face into her arms. "You haven't told him."

"Can you see Sloan changing diapers and doing 3 am feeds?" Cristina asked,

"You aren't helping Yang."

"She's right." Lexie looked up. "A week ago all I was concerned with was that he wasn't sleeping with anyone else." She paused. "He's not still sleeping with the nurses is he?"

"No." Callie assured her. "He loves you."

"No he likes me enough to not sleep with the nurses." Lexie corrected. "The only person he ever loved was Addison. But I'm a Grey; I can handle this by myself."

"You need to tell him." Callie told her.

"I will."

"I'm not an OB/GYN but from your HCG level I'd say you were seven weeks along." Arizona read the blood work. "You're not going to be able to hide it for much longer."

"Can we talk about something else?" Lexie requested.

"What do you want to do?" Meredith asked.

"Eat pizza and that ice-cream I brought and watch you all get drunk."

"Sounds like a plan." Cristina agreed.

Derek Shepherd whistled as he walked up the path to the front door. He had a successful day. He had a bemused smile when he saw a sign taped to the door stating 'no men allowed'. He put his key in the lock only to find his entry barred by the security chain.

"Meredith?" He called.

"Derek." She walked to the door.

"What's going on?"

"We are having an anti-men girls' night."

"And how long is this going to last?"

"Until tomorrow so you need to find somewhere to sleep." With that she closed the door.

Mark Sloan was flipping channels, beer in hand when there was a knock on the door.

"Finally." He muttered opening. "Not Lexie."

"Very observant." Derek walked in. "I'm sleeping on your couch tonight."

"Fight with Meredith?" Mark guessed.

"She's having some anti-men girls' night so I got kicked out. Lexie is probably there."

"She didn't mention it." Mark grabbed his cell phone and dialled her number.

"It's Mark." Lexie recognised the ringtone without needing to check the caller id.

"I've got it." Callie grabbed the phone. "No." She answered.

"Callie? Why are you answering Lexie's phone?"

"We're having a girls' night so no she can't answer your booty call."

"Callie." Lexie lunged to grab her phone but she had moved around the table.

"So you'll have to find something else to do. And when I say do I don't mean anything that involves getting within ten feet of another woman. That goes for Hunt and Shepherd too as you all have girlfriends who are very good with a scalpel. Goodbye." She hung up.

"Torres and Yang are there too. We are to avoid other women or they are coming after us with scalpels." Mark informed. "Do you want a beer?"

"Sure."

Lexie was waiting for Mark when he got home after spending the entire day reconstructing a woman who had been mauled by her neighbours' dog.

"Hey." He walked in and gave her a kiss before noticing she had her coat on. "Are you going somewhere?"

"We need to talk." She moved so she was stood between him and the door.

"That's never a good start to a conversation. What do you want to talk about?"

"I'm pregnant." Lexie blurted out.

"What?" He looked stunned.

"I'm pregnant." She repeated.

He started to pace as he processed, Lexie watching for a moment.

"It's okay." She interrupted. He stopped and looked at her. "This wasn't what either of us signed up for. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of the baby by myself."

"Lexie." He started.

"It's okay." She repeated before kissing him slightly longer than necessary. "Goodbye Mark." She grabbed her bag trying hold back the urge to cry and she was out the door before he could say anything.

Fifteen minutes later she was knocking on Meredith's door, her eyes red.

"Can I stay for a while?" She asked when Meredith opened the door.

"You told him." Meredith guessed. Lexie nodded. "Come here." Meredith wrapped her in a hug."You can stay as long as you like." After a few minutes she suggested Lexie go upstairs.

"Who was at the door?" Derek asked when he looked up from his paper.

"Lexie, she is staying for a while."

"Ok." Derek agreed watching Meredith retrieving some ice-cream.

"And if you have any pent up feelings of aggression towards Mark Sloan now would be a good time to act on them."

"What did he do?"

"Lexie is pregnant."

"Mark knows?" Derek set the paper down. Meredith nodded. "I'll be back."

"Don't break your hand and tell him he isn't allowed in the house."

Mark got up from where had been sat with his head in his hands since Lexie had left when Derek started pounding on the door.

"I take it you heard the good news. Go ahead I'll give you one shot for free."

"What did you say to her that she is now living in my house and crying her eyes out?" Derek demanded.

"I didn't say anything. She's crying?"

"What?" Derek was thrown by his response.

"She told me she's pregnant, before it had a chance to sink in she said she could handle it by herself, she kissed me goodbye and walked out."

"What would you have said if she stuck around?"

"I don't know." Mark admitted leaning against the wall. "A kid is a big deal. Lexie is just a kid."

"She's twenty-four and a doctor, give her a few years and she will be an excellent surgeon." He paused. "You knew how young she was going into this despite my warning."

"I know." Mark rubbed a hand over his face.

"Do you remember when you used to come over for dinner when the whole family, it was loud and raucous and kids everywhere?"

"Yes." Mark nodded.

"You told me that's how families should be. I think Lexie is going to a great mom, and she'll figure out how to handle it on her own, Meredith and I will help her since she is family. But you have to figure what kind of father you want to be. You are either in or out there is no half way with a Grey. Their father screwed them up, they need black and white when it comes to relationships any shade of grey and they get hurt. If you hurt her any more a sucker punch from me will be nothing compared to what Meredith will do to you."

It had been a week since the revelation and Lexie was filling Callie in on their latest patient.

"Ok, Mr Forsyth, I'm going to take another look at your x-rays but you are going to need surgery. Dr Grey will be back to prep you as soon as we have an operating room free. Dr Grey." Callie nodded out the door.

Callie waited until they were outside before she spoke again.

"Do you want to scrub in?"

"Of course." Lexie smiled but Callie noticed how tired she looked.

"How long have you been on your feet?"

"What time is it?" She glanced at the clock. "Eighteen hours."

"When was the last time you ate?" Callie asked watching her think. "Obviously it's been too long. Juice and cookies from the vending machine."

"I'm ok." Lexie assured her.

"I'm not having you pass out in the middle of surgery, you either eat or I'm putting you on a drip. It's not just you you have to worry about anymore."

"Okay." Lexie conceded.

Callie found Mark reading a chart.

"Come with me." She grabbed his arm and dragged him into the nearest empty room and pulled the blinds.

"Finally decided being a lesbian isn't going to work out?" He joked.

"You're an idiot." She cuffed him upside the head.

"Ow!" He exclaimed rub the spot. "What was that for?"

"You owe me $10."

"For what?"

"Feeding your pregnant girlfriend who has been on her feet for 18 hours and hasn't eaten in longer than that before she passed out."

"Is she okay?" He was instantly concerned.

"She's fine. But why the hell haven't you talked to her? Do you really object to the idea that much?"

"No, I want Lexie and the kid."

"It's been a week, why haven't you spoken to her?"

"I've tried. She won't answer my calls, Meredith has banned me from the house, she and Yang are hiding her somewhere in the hospital."

"She's been helping in peds for most of the week. If you really wanted to talk to her you could have found a way around Meredith. She didn't get 2 months pregnant by herself."

"What?"

"You really didn't talk to her did you? She's about 8 weeks."

"You know more than I do. She told me and left and I haven't spoken to her since."

"If I tell you where she is do you promise not to disappoint her?" Callie asked.

"Torres!" Mark said a warning tone.

"She's in the on call room putting her feet up before she has to start preparing my patient for surgery in half an hour."

"Thank you."

Lexie was finishing her sandwich when the door opened.

"Dr Sloan." She said.

"Drop the formality Lex, we need to talk."

"I have to prep a patient for surgery." She started to get up.

"Not for twenty minutes. Why did you wait so long to tell me? Everyone seems to know more than I do." Mark demanded.

"I didn't. I told you the first time I saw you after I found out." Lexie stated, Mark waited for her to say something else. "A patient asked how soon she could start trying for a baby and it made me realise I was late. I drew some blood. I picked up the results when I was headed out the door to Meredith's and opened them while was waiting for my order at the pizza place. I only told her because I needed to tell some and everyone walked in."

"Why didn't you stick around?"

"I'd run that conversation through my head so many times, I knew how it would play out. It was easier on both of us that I left."

"It's nice to know you have so much faith in me." He crossed his arms.

"I know what happened with Addison..." Lexie started.

"This has nothing to do with Addison; this is about you and me."

"You don't have to worry I'm keeping the baby. When I came to your hotel room that night I knew how you feel about commitment, you've only just gotten used to me sleeping at your place on the nights I'm not here. This was an accident, neither of us expected my birth control pill not to work, but I can deal with this by myself." Lexie was fighting not to cry.

"It's nice to know you think so little of me. This is my kid too."

"Mark..." Lexie started but a tear ran down her cheek.

"Don't cry." He wiped the tear away with his thumb.

"I'm taking tears over morning sickness." Lexie whispered as he held her face in her hand.

"I want to be involved Lex." He kissed her.

"No!" Lexie pulled back once her brain caught up. "I can't do this." Her pager went off. "I have to go."

"It's my kid too." Mark repeated causing Lexie to stop her hand on the door handle.

"7am tomorrow, Dr Chang in OB." She said before leaving.

Lexie was leaving her appointment when she literally ran into Mark.

"Sorry I'm late." He apologised. "I got stuck in the pit."

"I told you I can do this by myself. Dr Chang needs you to fill out a form with your family medical history."

"I'm here now doesn't it count for something?"

"Can you just fill out the form?" She requested as her pager went off. "I have to get back to work."

"Lexie... He called after her. "I love you."

"No you don't." Her back towards him as she paused before continuing to walk away. "You just think you should."

Mark sighed as he watched walk away before backtracking to Chang's office.

"Dr Sloan, you just missed Dr Grey. But since you are here there is a form I need you to fill out for me." He passed the form to Mark.

"Are they both ok or can't you discuss it?"

"Lexie gave me permission to discuss any aspect of her pregnancy with you. They are both happy and healthy. Her due date is February 1st. She forgot take this with her." He handed Mark a copy of a sonogram picture.

"Can I get a copy?" Mark asked transfixed with the picture.

"Of course." Dr Chang got him an extra copy.

"Is there anything else I should know?" Mark asked.

"She's an intern, she works long hours but it takes a lot of energy to create a person, she needed to get plenty of rest and eat at regular intervals. Any questions you have you both of you know where my office is."

Mark walked around with pictures in his pocket while he trying to figure out his next move when he saw Meredith carrying a stack of charts into an empty room.

"Grey."

"If this is about Lexie." Meredith said.

"Look I can't get her to talk to me for more than a minute and when I do she doesn't believe anything I say so I need you to give me five minutes." He requested.

"Fine."

"I love your sister even if she doesn't believe me," He started.

"She would be more inclined to believe you if you had told her before you found out she was pregnant."

"Look I've had a lot of time to reassess a lot of things this last week. Lexie and your niece or nephew here." He put the scan picture on the desk, "Are the most important people in my life."

Meredith picked up the picture.

"Mark, you are not exactly the white picket fence and soccer game type. You slept with half the female staff."

"People change. I haven't slept with anyone else since Lexie showed up at my hotel room and took her clothes off."

"We're damaged, we have a father who disappointed us, and Lexie can't take any more disappointment."

"I won't disappoint her." Mark assured her.

"It's not me you have to convince."

"You're her sister how do I do that?" Mark pleaded. "When she doesn't believe a word I say."

"Action sometimes louder than words. If you are serious you are going to have to prove it her and keep proving it to her until she believes you."

"Thank you Meredith." Mark smiled with slightly more hope.

"If you screw this up..." Meredith started.

"I know you'll come after me with a scalpel."

"After I find her the meanest badass lawyer on the west coast to sue you for every dollar you make in the next twenty years in child support."

"Sounds reasonable."

"You can start by not adding anymore nurses to your score card." Meredith handed him back the picture. "And we never had this conversation."

"Can you page me when Mrs Donovan gets here?" Lexie handed the nurse the chart.

"These were delivered for you." A nurse set a vase of white, yellow and pink Gerbera daisies, Lexie's favourite flower, on the counter. "There is a card."

Lexie extracted the card from the envelope.

_I meant what I said._

_I love you._

_M x_

_P.S I think you forgot this._

Lexie saw the scan picture in the envelope, she stuffed it and card into her lab coat pocket.

"Did you have a fight with Dr Sloan?" The nurse guessed.

"We broke up a week ago." She paused. "Put these in Mrs Miller's room, she could do with cheering up. Excuse me."

An hour later Mark walked up to the nurses' station.

"Do you know if..."

"Dr Grey got the flowers you sent her?" The nurse interrupted. "She had us put them in one of the patient rooms. She said you broke up."

"We didn't break up we had a disagreement." Mark corrected. "Excuse me."


	2. 15 Weeks

**15 weeks**

Miranda Bailey walked around the corner at 3 am to find Lexie sat against the wall her eyes closed.

"Dr Grey this not the place to fall asleep."

"I'm not asleep Dr Bailey." Lexie opened her eyes.

"Then why are sat on my floor?"

"I started feeling really dizzy so I sat down to regain my equilibrium."

"Eat." Bailey stated.

"I ate an hour ago."

"You'd better not be coming down with something." Bailey warned,

"Dr Chang said I was in perfect health when I saw him yesterday."

"Chang?" Bailey tried to recall the name. "In OB? You're pregnant?"

"Three and a half months." Lexie confirmed. "I thought you knew."

"How would I know?"

"Everyone else does. I'm sorry I would have told you."

"I guess that explains Sloan's strange behaviour."

"I broke up with him the day I told I was pregnant because I thought he would run screaming." Lexie admitted. "He tells me he loves me five times a day, he makes sure I eat and stay hydrated. He baked for me. He made me egg free rockie road cookies because he knows I'm allergic to eggs and I was craving them. My heart wants to believe him but..."

"But?" Bailey prompted.

"My head is screaming that he's going to leave. How screwed up is that?"

"You are a Grey of course you are screwed up and given Sloan's previous dalliances that's understandable, but if a man wants to keep telling you he loves I say go ahead and let him. Now are you done being dizzy?"

"I think so." Lexie slowly got up and then braced herself against the walk. "Maybe not."

"Sit back down before you fall down while I get a wheelchair so I can run a few tests."

"I don't need tests." Lexie protested.

"You either let me take your damn blood pressure or I'll call Sloan to come and do it for me."

* * *

Meredith watched as one of nurses picked up a stack of charts and started to walk away with them.

"Where are you taking those charts?"

"Dr Grey's room."

Meredith followed the nurse to the room where Lexie was sat on a drip and a heart rate monitor surrounded by charts.

"I'm done with that thank you." Lexie smiled at the nurse.

"Lexie what are you doing?" Meredith asked from the doorway.

"Charting." Lexie replied.

"Lexie." Meredith said in a warning tone.

"My potassium and sodium levels are a little low. So we're fixing it."

"Did you call Mark?"

"I left him a voicemail asking to come and find me when he gets in."

"I'll call him." Meredith started to move towards the door.

"Don't." Lexie requested. "He'll be here in half hour; he has an adenoidectomy scheduled for 8. I know because I was supposed to be scrubbing in."

"Okay but you should have called him."

Meredith was waiting at the nurses' station when Mark arrived.

"You paged me Grey."

"I need you to promise me you'll remain calm and won't shout."

"Grey, you didn't kill one of my patients did you?"

"No." Meredith replied. "It's Lexie, she's in there." She pointed towards Lexie's room. "Her electrolytes are low so they are fixing them. Here is her chart."

Mark grabbed the chart and walked straight into Lexie's room

"I'm fine." Lexie stated seeing the look of concern on his face.

"You have an IV and you are on monitor."

"My sodium and potassium are low so they are fixing it and Dr Chang just wanted me on the monitor as a precaution. The baby is fine."

"You should have called me." Mark stared at her.

"I did."

"Leaving me a message asking me to come see you doesn't say you are in the hospital."

"I knew you would be in early today. Dr Chang says I can go home as soon as the IV has run through."

"You should have called me." Mark ran his hand through hair while thinking how innocent she looked. "Damn it Little Grey." He stepped over and kissed her taking Lexie's breath away. It was only when someone cleared their throat he pulled away.

"Dr Sloan please refrain activities which cause my patients heart to race." Bailey warned. Lexie and Mark looked monitor to see her pulse rate had doubled, Lexie blushed. "I came to see if you were experiencing any more dizziness."

"No dizziness." Lexie confirmed.

"You're dizzy? Bailey pass me an otoscope." Mark requested.

"You don't need to check my ears." Lexie told him.

"Who is the board certified ENT in the room?" Mark countered.

"If the man wants to check your ears let him." Bailey handed him the otoscope.

"All clear." Mark declared a minute later.

"You should go and check on your patient, you have surgery in 45 minutes and as the person who supposed to be preparing him you need to find someone else."

"I'll push it back." Mark shrugged.

"You aren't screwing up the board this early in the day Dr Sloan." Lexie stated stubbornly, when Mark started to open his mouth to protest she continued. "I already have two doctors I don't need another one. Dr Bailey."

"Out now." Bailey ordered.

"Technically I'm your boss." Mark reminded her.

"Out there yes, but in here you are my patient's whatever." Bailey waved her hand vaguely in the air. "And if you are upsetting her I have right to kick you. Go cut someone."

"I'll still be here when you are done." Lexie added.

"Fine. Behave." Mark kissed her temple, Lexie's heart rate blipped.

"Does it always do that?" Bailey asked once he was gone.

"My heart racing when he kisses me? Yes."

"No wonder you got pregnant."

* * *

"Hey Lexie." Derek walked in her room with her chart twenty minutes later. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." It then dawned on her why he was there. "No!"

"No you aren't feeling ok?"

"No I don't need a neurological consult. I get dizzy because I'm pregnant and the blood doesn't quite get to my brain as fast as it should and my electrolytes are low because Mark insists I drink what feels like six gallons of water a day so I have to pee a lot which is washing the potassium and sodium out my body."

"Okay." Derek conceded. "Just let me do one quick test and I'll tell him you're fine." He pulled out a penlight out of his pocket.

"Fine." Lexie sighed.

"Look at my finger."

"You think I'm a reasonably good doctor right?"

"Yes." Derek wasn't sure where was going with her question.

"And you think Dr Bailey and Dr Chang are good doctors?"

"I don't know Chang that well but yes."

"Then why if the three of us agree to the reason I get dizzy does Mark think I need an ENT to check my ears and the head of neurosurgery to check my eyes?" Lexie inquired. "It's not like I passed out and bumped my head."

"He loves you he's just worried that you are overdoing it."

"I am an intern I work hundred hour weeks, I have plenty of people look over my shoulder to make sure I don't overdo it."

"I'm sending you some fruit." Derek said throwing her train of thought. "And a suture kit, you might as well get some practice in."

"Thank you."

* * *

A few hours later Lexie heard what sounded like someone was gasping for breath whilst trying to call for help. She switched off the monitor so when she disconnected the leads it wouldn't sound; grabbing the IV bag she left her room. She heard a crash to her right and through the blinds saw a man gasping, clutching his throat his lips starting to turn blue.

"Mr Brown." Lexie rushed in hitting the code button the wall to get some help.

By the time the nurses arrived Lexie had him flat on his back.

"Hold this." She thrust the IV bag into one of their hands as she found what she needed. "Someone charge the paddles he's about to code." She quickly removed the object blocking his throat as his heart stopped. "Got it. Shock him."

"Clear." Someone called, but still no heartbeat.

"Again." Lexie prompted.

Mr Brown's heart started beating again, and he gasped for air.

"What do we have?" Christina ran in her interns behind her.

"Mr Brown was choking on a grape, I removed the obstruction, but his heart stopped so we shocked him." Lexie explained.

"Three, you are supposed to be on a heart monitor. 4.2 get 3 back to her room now." Cristina ordered.

"Thanks." Lexie took back her IV bag back.

Forty minutes later the door opened Mark entered looking for want of a better word sad.

"You didn't kill Mr Kielty did you?" Lexie asked.

"No. There was five year old girl brought into the pit, her father covered her in hydrochloric acid, she died before we could do anything to help her."

"Come here." Lexie moved over so Mark could lie on the bed. She moved carefully to half lay on top of him, her head on his chest her hand over his heart. "I saved a guy from choking on a grape."

"I heard. Yang won't tell you but she thinks you did a good job." He kissed the top of her head and her heart rose. "Does it always do that?"

"I have six million extra hormones running around my body right you have an effect on a few of them."

"I love you." He whispered.

"I know I love you too."

"Then why?" He prompted.

"Because I'm screwed up. I need a lifetime of therapy because you are perfect and I don't trust it."

"Then I'll have to stick around for the next fifty years and prove it to you."

"I wish I believed that."

"Get some sleep." He kissed her temple.

When a nurse came in a few minutes later she apologised to Mark and changed out the IV bag after giving him the results of Lexie's tests. It was another fifteen minutes before Cristina entered.

"There you are Dr Sloan."

Mark signalled for her to keep her voice down.

"What the matter Yang?"

"We have a patient, a forty-two schizophrenic who slashed himself numerous times head to toe. We lost count at a hundred." She handed him the x-ray film. "We've sedated him and stopped most of the bleeding but he needs stitching."

"Are those razor blades?" Mark looked at the x-ray.

"Yes, when the tips broke off he just grabbed another blade. The cuts on his face and arms are deep."

"Get him in the OR he's going to be susceptible to infection with that many wounds and it's your lucky day Yang you get to practice your suture skills. Get Big Grey to scrub in too, I'll be there in a few minutes." He waited until Cristina had gone before running a hand down Lexie's back. "Little Grey I have to go."

"Ok." She mumbled still asleep rolling over to allow him to get up and then rolled back into the warm spot he had vacated.

"I'll be back later." He kissed her temple.

* * *

It was gone seven before Mark made it back to Lexie's room only to find Meredith and Cristina were sat on chairs either side of the bed their feet up, Alex was sat on a chair in the corner.

"What's going on?"

"We're trying to decide which game show we're sending Lexipedia on." Cristina replied.

"Come on you're telling me you know who the wife of Henry II was?" Alex asked.

"Who was Eleanor of Aquitaine?" Lexie answered when she proved right she stuck her tongue at Alex.

"How do you know that?"

"My boyfriend the second year of college was a European History major I used to help him study." She looked at Mark. "I know I'm pathetic but we have pizza."

Mark opened the box.

"Spinach?"

"They thought I might need iron too." Lexie explained.

Mark took a slice and took a bite before he threw it back in box. "That is just wrong. The best pizza in the world is from Larry's which was a block from my apartment in New York."

"I think we're out of their delivery area." Meredith pointed out.

"Then I'll have to eat this." He pulled a candy bar from his pocket.

"Thank god." Lexie snatched it from him, tore it open and took a bite. "Hospital food is horrible other than Jell-o and they ate all the good pizza."

"I'll get the Chief right on that."

"You won't get this one." Alex was still watching the quiz show. "Who scored the first home run of the first baseball world series?"

"Jimmy Sebring." Lexie and Mark said at the same time, Mark let Lexie continue. "It was the 7th innings of the first game of the first World Series in 1903; he was the first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Cy Young was pitching."

"How do you know that you don't even like sport?"

"He has a book of useless facts that are now stuck in my head." Lexie explained.

"It was a Christmas gift from Derek's sister."

"I don't know if it still counts as a gift when she threw it at you because you said she looked fat."

"How was I supposed to know she was pregnant I hadn't seen her in six months?" Mark protested. "And I'm not telling you any more stories about my childhood."

"You were 27." Lexie reminded him.

"You need a chair." Cristina decided before yelling out the door. "Two?"

"Yes Dr Yang?" He appeared in the doorway.

"Get Dr Sloan a chair."

Lexie leant over and switched off the monitor and started to disconnect the leads.

"What do you think you're doing?" Mark asked.

"Going to the bathroom." Lexie grabbed the IV bag.

"That's fourth time in the last hour." Alex commented. Mark looked concerned.

"Her kidney function is normal, her sodium and potassium levels are almost normal, the rest of her blood work is fine and the only issue with her heart seems to be when you are around. Bailey and Chang agree she can go when the IV is done in a couple hours time." Cristina read from Lexie's chart.

Mark looked up when Lexie re-entered.

"You have that look again." She commented.

"What look?"

"The one that got me a neuro exam I didn't need this morning. Meredith do you think I need another doctor?"

"No." Meredith replied.

"Good because legally you have more say than he does." Lexie rehung her IV bag.

"Explain." Mark prompted.

"She's my next of kin." Lexie straighten out the line before getting back in bed.

"I am?"

"It says so here," Cristina had found the page on the chart.

"You are my sister, if something happens to me I don't think Dad would cope with making a decision and I couldn't ask Molly to do it, I thought at least you would make an informed decision. It's okay right?"

"Sure." Meredith agreed.

"It says here if it involves the kid you get a say and custody if she is incapacitated." Cristina informed Mark.

"Isn't this a little morbid?" Alex asked.

"I thought you would understand better than anyone how you have to plan for the worst and hope for the best." Lexie had finished reattaching the monitor.

"A chair Dr Sloan." Two carried the chair in and set in it on the ground.

"Thank you."

"Go and check on all the post-op patients and take 4.2 with you. NOW!" Cristina ordered.

"That wasn't up your usual standards." Alex told her.

"Just because your interns don't listen to you and you don't get the right tone. They are just interns."

"I'm an intern, your intern." Lexie remind her.

"You're a patient right now, and tomorrow I'm banishing you to the clinic for skiving off today." Cristina advised her. Sending Lexie to the clinic was Mark's idea as it was generally a lighter duty.

Lexie glanced at Mark guessing he needed a change in topic.

"Your friend is an idiot."

"What?"

"Your friend is an idiot." She repeated. It took him a second to realise who she was talking about.

"He's not an idiot." Mark protested.

"I'm an intern and I know he's an idiot."

"Who are we talking about?" Meredith inquired.

"The head of plastic surgery at the hospital I did my internship at." Mark explained.

"He wrote this article in Plastics Today which reads like a 101 reasons not to become a plastic surgeon. Here." Lexie handed Cristina the journal.

"He's an idiot." Cristina agreed after reading the first few paragraphs.

"Wait until you get to the part about the benefits of toe tucks."

"I don't understand that. Getting your toes fixed just so you can squeeze them into ridiculously overpriced uncomfortable shoes." Meredith commented.

"It's just rich women who have more money than sense, like most of that cosmetic crap." Cristina agreed.

Lexie placed a hand over Mark's mouth before he could start defending his specialty.

"Yes we know that the cosmetic crap earns the hospital a lot of money and it is why you get paid the big bucks, and why you did fifteen elective procedures in the last two weeks. We also get that you just don't do tummy tucks that plastic surgery is more complicated than that and you spent the best part of the afternoon putting 2500 sutures in a guy who slashed himself with a razor blade."

"2,356." Cristina corrected.

"You're a great surgeon but your friend is an idiot." Mark sighed and kissed her palm.

"You've had this conversation before." Meredith guessed.

"Every other Thursday."

"What is every other Thursday?"

"The day he gets the people who want elective surgery into his office for a consult." Alex answered flicking channels.

"And the day he tries to convince me I want to be a plastic surgeon." Lexie added.

"You have an office?" Cristina questioned.

"I'm the Head of Plastic Surgery of course I have an office, I just don't use it very often."

Lexie yawned.

"We should go and see if they any more fruity drinks." Cristina suggested.

"Maybe Dr Daisy Pepman will be there to serve them,"

"Why are you going to Dermatology?" Mark inquired.

"The better question is how you know she works in Dermatology."

"They call me for a consult." He shrugged.

"It reminds us we are dark and twisty and makes us better surgeons." Meredith explained.

"They are trying to figure out how to steal the masseuse." Alex clarified.

"They have a masseuse?" Lexie asked.

"Two, one for the attending and one for the residents. They get to leave in the middle of the day for facials." Cristina stated.

"Is it too late to switch specialty?"

When they were all gone Mark crawled into bed with her and the both fell asleep. Lexie was the first to wake up; she forced Mark to sign her discharge papers so she wasn't late for pre-rounds.

TBC


	3. 19 weeks

19 weeks

"You paged me." Lexie walked up the hospital front desk.

"There is someone here to see you." The receptionist pointed the person out.

"Thank you." Lexie smiled and walked over. "Can I help you? Mrs Shepherd?" She realised who it was.

"Hello Lexie." Mrs Shepherd smiled at her. "I heard congratulations were in order."

"Thank you."

"Do you know if it is a boy or a girl?"

"We find out next week." Lexie replied. "They obviously paged the wrong person I know Dr Shepherd is in surgery but I'll go and find Meredith for you."

"They didn't page the wrong person it is you I'm here to see."

"Me?" Lexie questioned.

"If you have a moment I'd like to talk to you about Mark."

"You flew all this way to talk to me?" Lexie was flabbergasted, her pager went off. "I'm sorry I have to go."

"What time do you finish I'll make dinner and we can talk later?"

"Five. I finish at five."

"Then I'll make dinner for seven. Do you like spaghetti?"

"I'm allergic to eggs."

"I'll make it egg free. You should go. I'll see you this evening."

It took Lexie 45 minutes to find Meredith.

"We have a problem." Lexie announced.

"You didn't kill my patient did you?"

"No it's worse. Mrs Shepherd is here."

"Derek's mother is here in Seattle?" Meredith questioned.

"She's making egg free spaghetti for dinner at 7."

"What is she doing here?"

"She wants to talk to me about Mark."

"I need to find Derek." Meredith started to walk away.

"He's in surgery." Lexie called after her. "I need candy."

* * *

Meredith was waiting for Derek when he got out of surgery.

"Hey." He smiled at her.

"Did you know that your mother was coming?"

"What?"

"Did you know that your mother was coming?" Meredith repeated.

"My mother is in Seattle?"

"She's making dinner for seven o'clock."

"Did she say why she was here?" Derek asked.

"I didn't see her. She spoke to Lexie she's here to talk to her about Mark."

"I need to talk to Mark." Derek started to walk away.

"The house is a mess." Meredith told him.

* * *

Derek found Mark scrubbing for surgery.

"You called my mother?"

"I was meaning to tell you she was going to be arriving today." Mark continued

"A heads up would have been nice before she arrived and freaked out Meredith and Lexie. Why is she here anyway?"

"She's known me my whole life I thought she could talk to Lexie and convince her I'm not such a bad guy."

"Good luck with that." Derek said with a hint of sarcasm. "How long is she staying?"

"She's leaving tomorrow afternoon; I got her a hotel room."

"I hope this doesn't backfire."

* * *

Mrs Shepherd was stirring a pot of spaghetti sauce and Lexie was setting the table when Mark walked in.

"Hey." He kissed Lexie. "Hey Mrs Shepherd, I'm sorry I couldn't pick you up at the airport."

"It's ok Mark." She gave him a hug.

"Excuse me." Lexie disappeared from the room.

"You didn't tell anyone I was coming did you?" Mrs Shepherd asked.

"I was getting around to it." Mark admitted.

"Mark." She shook her head.

"This smells great. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Drain the pasta. Derek and Meredith should be here in a few minutes."

Mark was putting the bread rolls and on the salad on the table when they arrived.

"Hi Mom, you should have told me you were coming." Derek hugged her.

"It was a last minute decision. Meredith, it is nice to see you again."

"You too Mrs Shepherd. This looks great."

"Take a seat. It's ready."

"Where is Lexie?" Meredith asked.

"Here." Lexie slipped into her seat.

They were all enjoying their food when Mark noticed Lexie rubbing her stomach.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm just not used to it moving yet."

"It?" Mrs Shepherd questioned.

"I thought I'd wait until next week to use the appropriate pronoun." Lexie explained. "And it will resolve their bet."

"You know about that?" Mark tried to gauge how much trouble was in.

"The rest the interns have a pool about the day the baby is due."

"The residents are in on that too." Meredith admitted.

"And the attendings."

"Give it a few weeks and it will get stronger. When I was pregnant with Derek I had to sleep sitting in a chair because every time I lay down he'd kick and hiccup for four hours straight." Mrs Shepherd told her.

"Give her a minute and pull out the baby pictures." Mark whispered to Lexie.

"I didn't bring the baby picture this trip; I did bring the picture of the time both decided to shave your heads."

"They don't need to see that mother." Derek insisted.

Meredith and Lexie looked at each other. "We do."

When dinner was over Mrs Shepherd stood up.

"Why don't we leave the boys to clean up?" She suggested. "Lexie why don't we go out onto the porch and talk."

"I need to get a sweater."

"Meredith why don't you join us?"

"Ok?" Meredith hesitantly agreed.

* * *

Mark got up from the couch and started pacing.

"Would you sit down? You're driving me crazy." Derek pleaded.

"They've been out there for two hours."

"You're the one who flew her out here to talk to Lexie." Derek reminded him.

Mark turned around when the door opened Meredith walked in.

"They need a few more minutes."

"So how much blackmail material do you have?" Derek inquired.

"Not nearly as much as when you give me Kathleen's email address."

"Don't do it." Mark warned. "She has the pictures."

It was fifteen minutes before Lexie came inside another ten before Mark was driving Mrs Shepherd to the hotel.

"So?" Mark prompted.

"She's a lovely girl and perfect for you."

"That much I know. Do you have any suggestions as to how I prove I'm not going anywhere?"

"Start acting like it."

"Excuse me?"

"You've been here for a while now and you still live in a hotel. If you want to prove to her you are ready to settle down here, start putting down roots."

"So I should buy a condo?" Mark guessed.

"Children need space to play. Try a house I know you can afford it."

"Buy a house that is an idea I can work with. Thank you."

"You can thank me by not cheating on this one. I like her."

"I promise."

* * *

A few days later Mark found Derek at the nurses' station.

"What are you doing after work?" Mark inquired.

"Did you want to get a drink or something?"

"I need your help with something."

"Is this your latest attempt to win over Lexie?"

"Yes."

"Fine." Derek agreed.

"So we're all going to Joe's after work." Meredith came over.

"Mark and I have plans after work."

"And what are you boys up to?" She asked.

"We're going to the driving range." Mark answered quickly.

"Ok, if playing golf sounds better than drinking copious amounts of alcohol, I have a patient I need to check on. I'll see you later."

"We're not really playing golf are we?" Derek turned back to Mark.

"No, I need your opinion on..." He didn't finish she sentence.

"Dr Sloan."

"Dr Grey." He turned to look at Lexie. "How are you today?"

"Planning on raiding your closet because I'm officially out of clothes that fit and don't have time to shop for more since something moved last night and I look like I swallowed a rapidly inflating beach ball other than that I'm fine thanks for asking."

"Help yourself."

"Do you have time to look at a patient for me?"

"Sure. I'll talk to you later." He added to Derek before following her.

* * *

"So what exactly are we doing?" Derek asked as Mark drove out the hospital parking lot.

"Going to meet my realtor."

"Realtor? You're buying a house?"

"I'm buying Lexie the perfect house." He corrected.

"Was this Mom's idea?"

"She was right I live in a hotel room and Lexie lives in your attic it is no place to raise a kid. It's time to start putting down roots."

It took another ten minutes before they pulled up outside a house. They got out and met a woman who was walking down the driveway.

"Dr Sloan? I'm Madeline Abbott, we spoke on the phone." She shook Mark's hand. "And you are?"

"Dr Shepherd."

"Let's try and find you both your dream house."

"I have a house, he's trying to find a house that will convince his pregnant girlfriend that he's not going to skip town. I'm just here for a second opinion."

TBC


	4. 23 weeks

**23 weeks.**

"Hey stranger."

"Addison?" He turned around. "What are you doing here?"

"It's nice to see you too Mark." She gave him a quick hug. "And to answer your question Richard asked me come for a consult."

"Sorry, I was just surprised you're here. The Californian sun seems to be agreeing with you."

"That's one thing I don't miss about Seattle, the weather."

"You should wear more sunscreen unless you want me to take care those wrinkles while you're here." He joked.

"I don't have wrinkles." She swatted his arm.

"Mark I was thinking..." Lexie stopped speaking when she saw who he was talking to.

"Lexie, you remember Addison." Mark wasn't sure what else to say.

"It's nice to see you again Dr Grey." Addison said.

"I just remembered Dr Yang needs me in the pit. Excuse me."

"Lexie?" Mark called after her. "Dr Grey? Dammit." He muttered under his breath.

"She's pregnant." Addison commented.

"Yes."

"How many weeks?"

"23." Mark replied.

"Yours?"

"Yes."

"You knocked up an intern?" Addison looked bemused.

"Addie." Mark said in a warning tone.

"Meredith's little sister."

"Addison."

"You're in love with her." It dawned on her.

"It's complicated."

"What is complicated?"

"She thinks I'm going to leave. My attempts at proving other are going slowly."

"A woman who makes you work for it, I'm liking her more by the minute." Addison smiled.

"Addie." He warned again.

"Do you me to talk to her I think I remember a few of your good qualities?" She offered.

"I'm trying to keep my family, you talking to her when you are part of the problem isn't a good idea."

"I've barely ever met her." Addison pointed out.

"She's Meredith's little sister, and I've told her whatever she wanted to know."

"She's a kid."

"She's 24. You fight for the people you love and the things that are important."

"Dr Sloan, there you are." An intern skidded to a stop.

"What is it one?"

"One?" Addison questioned.

"Yang numbered her interns." He explained briefly.

"Dr Karev needs you; there is a problem with the CT."

"He got stuck; I told him Mr Myers was too big to fit in the machine. We'll catch up later."

* * *

Lexie was sat alone in the observation room watching as Mark operated below.

"He's good." Addison commented. "Skin graft?"

"On a 14 year old you put a lit firecracker in the pocket." Lexie confirmed.

"I didn't get a chance to say congratulations earlier."

"Thanks."

"Do you know if it's a boy or girl?"

"A girl." Lexie rested her hand on her stomach. "What?" She asked when Addison smirked.

"I'm just imaging Mark trying to keep her away from guys like him for the next 30 years."

"He muttered something about a tower when we found out."

"Can I ask you something Lexie?" Addison sat down. She continued when Lexie nodded. "Why is it you have a problem with me? You're friends with Torres and Mark was sleeping with her, he made passes at Yang and Meredith not to mention whoever else."

Lexie hesitated before she answered.

"He loved you, he packed up his whole life and followed you across the country and ignoring the whole Meredith and Derek situation you broke his heart and for that I have to hate you."

Addison was a little surprised at her honesty.

"I suppose I can understand that, but you have to know Lexie that Mark and I would never have worked out long term. He was there when my marriage was falling apart and we tried to make it work because we thought we should but we both knew it wouldn't work. His way off telling me was sleeping with someone else. One thing you have to understand about Mark is that Derek and his family were the only stability in his childhood."

"I know about his childhood and his lousy excuse for parents, Carolyn told me all about it."

"Derek's mother?" Addison questioned.

"She came to visit a month ago. Kathleen keeps e-mailing Meredith and I pictures."

"Kathleen? She always hated me and I was married to Derek for 18 months before they started sharing stories. They must like you."

"She flew out at Mark's request. She's great."

"You know Mark loves you. He lights up when he talks about you and the baby."

"I know he loves me." Lexie rubbed her stomach.

"Then what is the problem?"

"I'm more like Meredith than we thought, I'm screwed up and don't trust relationships."

"Lexie, let me give you someone advice as someone who has screwed up her fair share of relationships, you're 24..."

"25." Lexie corrected. "I turned 25 last week."

"Does Mark know that?" Addison asked.

"No, it was the day of the intern exams. I'd been studying all week so I barely saw him and by the time I was done he and Derek were in the middle of 14 hour reconstructive surgery. Since I couldn't go and get drunk to celebrate Meredith and I went home had pizza and an ice-cream cake."

"You live with Meredith?"

"In her attic." She confirmed.

"And Mark still lives in the hotel." Addison guessed, Lexie nodded. "What I was trying to say was you are 25 don't make any decision you and your daughter are going to regret for the rest of your lives. There are only so many times you can show someone the door before you force them to walk out of it."

Lexie's pager went off.

"Excuse me. I have to get back to work."

* * *

Mark found Addison in the doctors' lounge.

"The coffee is hot."

"I thought you weren't going to talk to her." He poured some coffee.

"I was in the same room it seemed impolite not to congratulate her. But you should be more concerned that you're an idiot than with me talking to her."

"Why am I an idiot?"

"You can't raise a baby in a hotel room Mark, or Meredith Grey's attic."

"I'm working on it." Mark stated.

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

"Work faster and you are an idiot." She stated.

"I thought we covered that."

"She's 25 not 24, it was her birthday last week."

"What?" Mark looked sceptical.

"The day of the intern exams. She had to celebrate by having pizza with Meredith. You should probably come up with a way of making it up to her."

Mark's pager went off.

"The pit." He downed the rest of his coffee. "Thanks for the heads up."

* * *

Lexie knew who was behind her even before he whispered in her ear.

"You should have told me it was your birthday last week."

"It wasn't important." She turned around to face him.

"I'm taking you out to a late dinner to celebrate while I figure out your gift."

"I don't need anything other than bigger scrub pants and I can't do dinner I'm here on call tonight. If you want to celebrate we should wait until tomorrow to see if there is anything we should celebrate."

"Tomorrow?" He questioned.

"The intern exam results come out tomorrow,"

"You passed." He insisted.

"I hope so because I can't afford to have to redo my internship. I'm going to miss enough time as it is on maternity leave." She paused before speaking to her stomach. "Seriously?" Mark looked at her. "Your daughter likes to wriggle." She put his hand on her stomach so he could feel, he smiled smugly. "Get rid of that look what I did look, it's not cute or charming it's just annoying and now I have to pee and I'm supposed be scrubbing into an appendectomy in 10 minutes. I'll see you tomorrow." She gave him a quick kiss before running off to the bathroom.

* * *

The following day Lexie was leaning against a wall waiting.

"Lexie?" Meredith found her. "Did you pass?" Lexie held up a sealed white envelope. "You didn't open it."

"I can't."

"Do you want me to open it?" Meredith offered.

"I'm going to make Mark open it when he's done with the MRI."

"Do you want me to wait with you?"

"No, he won't be long."

"Hi." Mark said he left the MRI suite five minutes later. "So?"

"I need you to open it." She held out the envelope to him.

"Are you sure?" He asked. Lexie nodded and closed her and listened to tearing of the envelope. "Congratulations Dr Grey, you are no longer an intern."

"I passed?" Lexie opened her eyes.

"You passed." He confirmed. Lexie flung her arms around his neck and kissed him intensely, Mark had to put his hands on her hips to steady her.

"Get a damn room people. Preferably after you've finished work." Bailey walked down the hallway.

"I passed Dr Bailey." Lexie said jumping backwards and blushing.

"Of course you damn well passed. Get back to the clinic where you are supposed to be." She continued walking muttering. "At least we're running out of attending for interns to sleep with."

"I don't think she's getting any." Mark whispered in her ear. Lexie buried her face in his chest so as not to laugh.

"I'm ok now." Lexie let out a breath. "I should get back to work."

"I'm taking you out tonight to celebrate."

"I finish at 4 today."

"I should be done by 7 so I'll pick you up at 7.30, we'll go somewhere fancy."

"Mark, I'll have been here 36 hours when I'm done can we just go somewhere simple that doesn't make my brain ache trying to read the menu?"

Mark thought for a moment.

"Wear something warm and bring a jacket." He kissed her. "I'm proud of you, but I have to get back to work."

"Me too. I'll see you at 7.30."

* * *

"You look nice." Meredith commented when Lexie came down the stairs at 7.25.

"Mark is taking me out to dinner to celebrate."

"Are you going anywhere nice?"

"I don't know. I told him not to pick anywhere too fancy, I don't have any appropriate clothes that fit and I only bought practical maternity clothes since I spend most of my life in scrubs." Lexie explained.

"Hi." Mark let himself in. "You look great." He gave Lexie a kiss hello. "Ready to go?"

"Let me just grab my jacket and purse."

"Grey." Mark said when he saw Meredith watching him.

"Have her home by curfew it's a school night." Meredith warned.

"Yes Mom." He teased. Meredith tossed a cushion at him which he caught.

"I'm not going to ask." Lexie shook her head. "Bye Meredith."

"So where are we going?" Lexie asked as Mark drove.

"You'll figure it out."

They drove for another five minutes before Lexie recognised the route.

"This is the way to Derek's land."

"A picnic doesn't involve reading a menu. It's a pretty decent view even in the dark and there are plenty of candles left over from Meredith's house building efforts." Mark explained.

"That is incredibly sweet and thoughtful."

"Since I haven't had time to get you an actual gift." He reached into the backseat and handed her a gift box. Lexie opened it and smiled.

"Maternity scrubs. Thank you."

A while later things were starting to get hot and heavy.

"Mark wait," Lexie put a hand on his chest. "I can't."

Mark groaned and rolled onto his back.

"I didn't mean it like that." She whispered. Mark looked at her but she continued before he could ask the question. "I didn't mean I can't have sex with you. I meant even if I was the type of girl who had sex outside, which I'm not, I'm five months pregnant I need a bed."

"Derek gave me the keys to the trailer in case you needed to use the bathroom."

"A man with a plan." Lexie smiled. Mark kissed her again before scooping her up in his arms. "You're going to throw your back out."

It was almost midnight when Lexie sat up and started to search for her discarded clothes.

"What are you doing?" Mark asked.

"We left the candles still lit. If this place burns down Derek will kill us."

"Relax, get back in bed and I'll take care of it"

When he got back five minutes later he found Lexie on the phone.

"No, I'm not coming home... I'll tell him... See you at the hospital." She hung up.

"Who was that?"

"Meredith. She said to tell you that you missed curfew." Lexie yawned. "Sorry."

"We should get some sleep." He climbed in and settled her down against him.

"Tell her that." She put his hand on her stomach where the baby was moving.

By 4 am Lexie was up and dressed.

"Mark." Lexie shook his foot. "I need you to drive me to work."

He mumbled.

"Then I'm going to take your car, you'll have to call someone to come and get you."

"The clutch sticks." He muttered into the pillow.

"You're really going to make me drive alone in the dark back from a place I've only ever been to once before in the middle of the night in a car I've never driven? Ok." She picked up his keys.

"Give me a minute to get dressed."

"Thank you."

* * *

Addison was walking talking to Callie when she stopped.

"Why is Mark asleep in a waiting room chair?"

"Because I made him get up at 4 to drive me to work and the on call rooms were occupied." Lexie answered from them. "I supposed to wake him up now."

"Hang on a minute." Addison pulled her cell phone out her pocket and took a couple pictures while Callie asked a nurse to page her as she walked over and held it close to Mark's ear.

"What the...." He awoke with a start and saw the three women in front of him. "I didn't wake up in the middle of a Dickensian nightmare did I?"

"No you didn't turn into Scrooge while you were asleep." Lexie got the reference and handed him a coffee cup. "But this your eight am wake up call. A Cappuccino with a double shot as requested and I'm supposed to remind you that you're holding a staff meeting at 8.30."

"You're holding a staff meeting?" Addison questioned.

"I'm the head of the department I have staff so I have meetings,"

"He has an office with a couch too." Callie pointed out.

"I was also supposed to tell you not to let it run too long as you have surgery at 9.30." Lexie added.

"Is that your way of saying you want in?" He rubbed a hand over face.

"No I've been banished to Peds since I was late because you couldn't decide what you wanted at the drive-thru."

"You weren't banished. Arizona requested you." Callie told her. "She has a three year old with brittle bones who broke both his legs and three ribs which punctured his lung. She needs to keep him still so he doesn't do any more damage; he screams and tries to get up if he is left alone. His father is somewhere in the middle of the Pacific with the Navy and his mother went into labour a few hours ago she needs someone to sit with him and make sure he's ok. She thinks you're good with kids."

"I should probably go." Lexie blushed. "If you're around in 36 hours when my shift ends I'll need a ride home."

"You should take it easy." Addison told her.

"Getting twelve hours off is taking it easy."

"He has spies all over the hospital keeping an eye on her." Callie told Addison when Lexie was gone. "He might not understand it works the other way as well and they tell her everything too."

"Did you want something or are you just here to annoy me?" Mark inquired.

"I need you to help me rebuild a guy."

"This isn't going to end in tears like the titanium guy is it?" Mark asked.

"No, he has a broken pelvis and shattered his femurs. I need to operate but he won't let me if it going to leave a scar so he can still wear a Speedo. He has giant beer belly, so it's better for the world if he doesn't."

"Give me ten minutes to take a shower and change. And what about you?" He looked at Addison.

"I was just taking pictures of you drooling to send to everyone you know." Addison smiled.

"You should get him to tell you about the secret house he's buying Lexie." Callie suggested.

"You're buying a house?" Addison questioned.

"He thinks it will convince her he's staying in Seattle."

"Why do I tell you anything?" Mark looked at Callie.

"Because I'm your person and Shepherd was busy and you needed a second opinion. Ten minutes." Callie walked away.

"You don't think she'd want to pick her own house?" Addison asked.

"She doesn't have time I'll show her when I find the perfect one,"

"Do it before she's born."

"I thought you were leaving." Mark recalled getting up.

"My patient had a slight complication I'll be here for a few more days."

Ten hours and two surgeries later Mark stood at the nurses' station in the paediatric surgery department watching as Lexie held the little boy's hand and read him a story.

"She's been doing that all day." Arizona came up to stand next to him. "She's good with kids."

"She's good with knowing what patients need to hear." Mark paused. "Did his mother have the baby yet?"

"Not yet."

"That doesn't look good." Mark said as Lexie stood up rubbing her finger down the boy's cheek before pulling back the covers and pulling up shirt examining his stomach. Arizona was already through the door.

"His abdomen is rigid and distended. That wasn't there an hour ago." Lexie pointed out the mark that was growing.

"He's bleeding out." Arizona concluded before yelling. "Helen, I need an OR now and 8 unit of B Positive." She turned back to Lexie. "You need to get his mother to sign a consent form."

* * *

"Mrs Thompson." Lexie walked into her room grateful she wasn't in the middle of a contraction. "I know this a bad time but I'm Dr Grey."

"Ben?"

"We need to take him back into surgery. We think that one of his broken ribs may have nicked something other than his lung." Lexie explained.

"I need to see him." Mrs Thompson started to get out of bed.

"Mrs Thompson, I know this is scary but right now the best thing you can do for Ben is to stay here and concentrate on having this baby and letting us take care of him. Dr Robbins is one of the best surgeons in this hospital."

"He's my baby."

"I know. But we'll take care of him and when we're done you can introduce him to his little brother or sister." Lexie squeezed her hand.

"You'll be there?"

"Every step of the way. I'll come and tell you how it went as soon as we are done."

"Ok." She conceded.

"I need you to sign this consent form."

"Look after him."

"Good luck with the baby."

* * *

Mark was waiting for Lexie when she got out of surgery.

"She had a boy about twenty minutes ago,"

"I need to go and tell her Ben made it through surgery." She started walking.

"You need to eat." He corrected keeping pace,

"Later."

"Or now." He handed her a sandwich.

"Thanks." She had eaten most of it by the time the elevator arrived. "You're going to be there when I go into labour right?" She asked as they rode to the floor OB was on.

"I keep telling you I'm not going anywhere."

"Good because I don't think I could get through it by myself."

"You don't have to get through any of it by yourself." Mark reached over and stopped the elevator before kissing her until she was breathless.

"What was that for?" She asked when she could speak again.

"You looked like you needed it." He started the elevator again.

"Wait here." Lexie said when they were outside the room. "Mrs Thompson,"

"Ben?" She looked up to see Lexie while holding her baby.

"He's ok. A small fragment of bone from his rib lacerated his diaphragm damaged his spleen which we had to remove. But he's a fighter; he should make a full recovery."

"Thank you. Can I see him?"

"In about an hour when he's out of recovery and settled in the PICU, I'll come and get you." Lexie told her.

"Thank you."

"He's beautiful." Lexie commented looking at the baby, "Did you pick a name yet?"

"Liam after my husband's father." Mrs Thompson started to cry. "Sorry."

"It's ok; you've had an emotionally draining couple of days."

"I just wish Benjamin was here."

"Someone said he was in the Navy." Lexie recalled.

"A Lt Commander. He's a Naval Aviator on the George Washington. He was supposed to be home a month ago but his deployment got extended."

"Is there anyone else I can call for you? A friend or family member?" Lexie offered.

"We're both only children and we only moved here from San Diego six weeks ago after Ben's doctor referred him to a study they are doing into his disease."

"I'll come and get you can see him." Lexie squeezed her hand.

"Dr Grey." Mrs Thompson stopped her. "When it's time get the drugs, whatever they say about natural childbirth it hurts."

"Thanks."

"How is she doing?" Mark asked when she left the room.

"As well as can be expect. But I could do with a hug."

"You've had a tough day." He pulled her into his arms. "I'm here for whatever you need." He kissed her forehead.

"Need." Lexie mumbled. "Who is still here?"

"What?" He was thrown by her question.

"Who is still here?" She repeated.

"Derek is finishing up his surgery and should be done in about hour, Torres is waiting for Robbins, Yang and Meredith are around somewhere."

"What about Dr Hunt?"

"He's on call tonight so he's probably in the pit."

"I need to talk to him I'll see you tomorrow." She took off leaving Mark standing there. Lexie found Owen filling out a chart. "Dr Hunt."

"Dr Grey." He looked at her.

"I know it's late and this is going to sound like a strange question but you were in the Army right?"

"Yes?" He wasn't sure where she was going with the question.

"You don't happen to know anyone high up in the Navy do you?"

"Why do you want to know?"

Lexie filled him in.

"I know a guy; give me a few minutes to make a couple calls." He returned ten minutes later with a piece of paper with a name and number on it. "That's the name of the person who is currently on duty at the Pentagon who might be able to help but you have to realise it's 2 am there and they might not be able to help."

"It can't hurt to ask. Thank you."

It took several calls and faxes, plenty of time on hold and a mad dash to borrow Derek's laptop before Lexie made her way back to Mrs Thompson's room.

"Is it time to go and see Ben?"

"In a few minutes, but there is someone who wants to talk to you first." Lexie opened the laptop and hit a button a man appeared on the screen.

"_Hey Sarah."_

"Benjamin?" She looked at the screen then at Lexie.

"I'll leave you to catch up." Lexie smiled.

"Stay."

They talked Mrs Thompson introduced her husband to their newborn son and she had Lexie explain about Ben's condition.

"_Honey, I have to go my ten minutes is almost up. The Captain put in for emergency leave for me so hopefully I'll be home in a few days. I love you and the boys."_

"We love you too." She wiped away a tear as the screen went black.

"I'll get a nurse to come and take Liam to the nursery and I'll get a wheelchair to take you down to see Ben." Lexie said closing the laptop.

"I don't know how you managed that but thank you."

"I'll be right back Mrs Thompson,"

"Sarah." She corrected.

"I'm Lexie."

Lexie was making notations on Ben's chart watching as Sarah spoke softly to her son.

"I heard what you did." Arizona stopped beside her.

"I was just trying to get a message to him to call her. The Navy did the rest, but I think it's what she needed. Someone she loves to tell her everything will be ok."

"That's whatever one needs." Arizona agreed. "Part of being a good doctor is realising that sometimes it's not just your patient you need to take care of but their families too. You figured out what she needed and helped her. I'm proud of you." Lexie blushed. "It's late so I'm going home and you should try to get some sleep, the on call room is free and Lawton is around."

"I'm going to wait to see if she needs anything."

"Then get some sleep. Doctor's orders."

"Ok." Lexie agreed.

* * *

When Arizona came in the next morning and went to check on Ben only to find Lexie asleep in the chair next to his bed.

"Has she been here all night?" She asked the nurse.

"His heart rate was fluctuating wildly after his mother left. It calmed down as soon as soon as she sat with him."

"Find out if Mark Sloan is here and tell him I said he should come and buy her breakfast." Arizona requested. "And let Dr Yang know I'm keeping her on my service today."

TBC


	5. 27 weeks

27 Weeks

"Hi I'm Dr Grey." Lexie introduced herself to the parents of the little girl sat on the bed colouring. "I just need to run a few tests on Rachel ahead of her surgery this afternoon."

"She doesn't like stethoscopes." Rachel's mother warned Lexie.

"We'll be ok." Lexie assured her as she walked to the bed. "That's a great drawing." She commented waiting for Rachel to look at her, when she did Lexie spoke. "Hi my name is Lexie, what's yours?"

"Rachel." She replied.

"That's a pretty name; it's nice to meet you Rachel. Can I sit down?"

Rachel nodded, Lexie was grateful to off her feet for a minute. She waited for the girl to speak again.

"Your tummy moved."

"That's because I'm going to have a baby soon."

Rachel tentatively reached out her hand and then hesitated.

"It's ok." Lexie let her feel the baby kick and smiled at the look of surprise on her face. "So your mom says you don't like stethoscopes." She felt her recoil. "That's a shame because I was going to ask if you wanted to listen to my heart."

"Ok." Rachel whispered after a moment.

Lexie found the right place and then handed the stethoscope to Rachel,

"It's fast."

"That's good." Lexie smiled. "Now you have to listen to my lungs." Lexie moved it. "I have to take a big breath." After a few minutes Lexie suggested that Rachel listen to her own heart and lungs and she got Rachel to agree to her listening to them. "That's great Rachel. Can you draw me a picture?"

Rachel nodded as Lexie got off the bed.

"Is everything alright?" Rachel's father asked.

"We need to run a few more tests, but don't worry." Lexie told him.

Lexie had to go and find Arizona.

"Dr Robbins." Lexie walked up to her. "I think we need to delay Rachel Suitor's surgery."

"And why is that?"

"She has fluid on her lungs. I want to put her on a mask and get a chest film."

"She let you near her with a stethoscope?" Arizona questioned.

"I have a big distraction." Lexie rubbed her protruding stomach.

"Page me when you have the chest film."

* * *

A few hours later Lexie was writing a note on a chart when someone called her name.

"Hey Sarah." She smiled. "So today is the big day Ben goes home? I was going to drop by later and say goodbye."

"I just wanted to come and thank you for everything." Sarah told her. "Benjamin's transfer got approved, we're going to Miramar. He won't be home every night, but he will be there to help with the boys."

"That's great news."

* * *

Later that day Lexie was sat in the supply closet surrounded by charts, she looked up when the door opened and closed.

"Hiding?" Mark guessed.

"They are driving me crazy."

"They're interns it's their job." He sat down next to her."I thought you were in surgery with Robbins this afternoon."

"Patient had fluid on her lungs; she's not stable enough for surgery." She paused. "I'm sure you have better things to do than hide from my interns."

"I can think of better things to do alone, but you have that no sex in the hospital rule while you're pregnant."

"Having sex in the hospital is how I got pregnant in the first place." She pointed out.

"There you are." Derek walked in, "Lexie," He sat down opposite them and started discussing a patient like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Lexie couldn't help but laugh.

"What?" Mark asked.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about an email Beth sent me about the two of you and a closet."

"Tell me again why you thought it was a good idea to tell my mother and sisters they could tell her whatever she wanted to know?" Derek requested.

"It sounded a better idea at the time." Mark shrugged.

"You should be happy Meredith is no longer scared of your family. Although I'd avoid telling her that Carolyn would like you to give her some more grandchildren sooner rather than later."

"You speak to them more than I do." Derek reminded her.

"Carolyn calls me on Sundays to see how I am and if Mark has done anything idiotic and I talk to Kathleen once a week because she is my shrink."

"Kathleen?" Mark questioned.

"I told you I'm a Grey I'm screwed up so I found someone to talk to, she does it for free and she fits me in around my crazy schedule."

"Do I want to know what she said?" Mark inquired.

"That I'm not crazy, that any concerns I have are probably legitimate considering it's you."

"Are we are sure she's a Doctor?" Mark looked at Derek.

"You went to her graduation. You went to all of their graduations." Derek reminded him.

"She also said that deep down that you're a good guy." Lexie continued. "But your parents screwed up your perception of healthy and loving relationships and gave you self-esteem issues."

"Some of that is probably true." Derek had to admit.

"She also said to trust my instincts."

"Do I want to know?" Mark asked.

"Right now they are saying I don't want to throw anything at you today."

"What does my sister say about this violent streak?"

"That she's spent most of her life wanting to throw something at him; it's a normal reaction he invokes."

Mark rolled his eyes, kissed Lexie's forehead and then went back to talking to Derek about the patient.

"What the hell is going on here?" Bailey demanded when she opened the door a few minutes later.

"Consultation." Derek replied.

Miranda Bailey eyed the two men and then her gaze fell to Lexie.

"Dr Grey."

"I'm just catching up on some charting." She replied and when Bailey continued to stare at her she admitted. "And hiding from my interns."

"Welcome to being a Resident. If you haven't got anything better for them to do teach them something."

"Yes Dr Bailey." Lexie tried to get up but was struggling. "I knew I should have paid more attention in ballet class."

"Ballet?" Mark questioned.

"It was three weeks when I was five and no I don't have a picture of me in a tutu."

"Idiots. Help her up." Bailey instructed.

When Lexie was on her feet Derek handed her the charts.

"Thanks and I'm taking this." She pulled a twenty dollar out of Mark's lab coat pocket.

"What if I need coffee?" Mark protested.

"I work 100 hour weeks, I have idiot interns who I'm not sure how they got through grade school let alone Med school since they can't spell, I'm carrying an extra twenty pounds that likes to press on my bladder and wriggle when I have time to sleep and I'm doing it all without the benefit of coffee. So if you can't do without coffee for one afternoon or find a couple bucks somewhere else when you make three times what I do a year I'm sure Dr Shepherd will lend you the money." She turned. "Excuse me Dr Bailey."

"Find somewhere else to consult." Bailey turned and left too.

"Why do I feel like I was sent to the principal's office?" Mark asked.

"You'd know you spent more time there than I did."

"And I still got better grades than you did. You busy tonight?"

"Another golf game?" Derek guessed.

"She says she's found the perfect one."

"She said that about the last two houses." Derek reminded him. "I should be done by six."

Lexie found her interns stood at the nurses' station gossiping about her.

"I heard she threw a skillet at his head."

"It wasn't a skillet it was a lid and it wasn't aimed at his head." Lexie interrupted causing them to jump. "Go and buy some bananas." She held out the money to one of the interns.

"Craving." He guessed.

"No I'm going to teach you to suture while we have a spelling lesson because three of these charts say the patient has the incorrect symptoms or illnesses because someone can't spell. So new rule, if you can't spell the patient's condition accurately then you don't get anywhere near them. Banana's now!" She slammed the charts onto the counter.

TBC


	6. 31 weeks

**31 weeks.**

"So what are you doing after work?" Mark inquired.

"Going home to put my feet up because I think my ankles are starting to swell unless you have a better offer that involves a foot rub." Lexie replied.

"You know you should..."

"Drink more water, I know. Doesn't it seem ridiculous that the cure for retaining water is to drink more?"

"So if my plans also include feeding you and a foot rub?" He suggested.

"Page me when you're done. I have to go and check my interns have managed to spell everything on the medical history correctly before they present it to Dr Torres. I'll see you later."

* * *

"Where are we going?" Lexie asked as they drove into a quiet neighbourhood.

"Here." Mark pulled into the driveway of a house with a double garage and a white picket fence. He got out and went and opened the door for Lexie.

"Mark?"

"Just come inside." He took her hand and led her in through the front porch and inside where all the lights were already on.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"Just take a look around before you say anything." He requested.

Lexie walked through the living room with its open fire place, into the dining room beyond that a door led to the kitchen. Lexie ran her hand across the granite countertops while she looked at the maple cabinets and out the window.

"There is a deck and the garden is all fenced in." Mark told her. "There is a door outside through the utility room."

Lexie continued her tour of ground floor finding a study, downstairs cloakroom and what appeared to be a family room. Mark nodded when she hesitated before climbing the stairs.

"There are four bedrooms, a huge family bathroom and there is storage space and a playroom in the attic."

Lexie continued to look around before she went back downstairs.

"Are you going to tell me what this is all about?" Lexie asked.

"I bought it for you, well for us. Kids need space and this is a great house to raise our family in. It's in a great neighbourhood, a good school district and not too far from the hospital. Escrow closed yesterday."

Lexie glanced around her eyes welling up with tears.

"Come on Lex say something." He prompted looking for a response.

"Can you take me back to Meredith's?" She requested.

"Sure." He agreed a little thrown by her response. "I just need to switch the lights off."

* * *

Lexie slammed the door closed before she ran upstairs after leaving Mark in the car.

"I should go and check on her." Meredith patted Derek's leg before getting up from the couch. "Lexie?" She found her sister sat on the edge of her bed tears running down her face. "What did Mark do now?"

"He bought me a house."

"A house?" Meredith repeated. "You didn't like it?"

"No it's perfect. It has hardwood floors and it even has an ensuite with a roll top claw foot bath and huge double shower."

"Then why are you sat here crying?" Meredith asked.

"It's a house. He never even mentioned moving in together and he buys a house."

"Ice-cream?" Meredith guessed. Lexie nodded. "Splash some water on your face and I'll be right back."

"Is she ok?" Derek asked when Meredith came downstairs.

"Mark bought her a house. What possessed him to do that without talking to her first?"

"She didn't like it?" Derek followed her into the kitchen.

"No she loved it, but..." It took Meredith a second to put it all together. "You knew about it? That's what the sudden interest in golf was about."

"He needed a second opinion. He's been trying to find the perfect house that he knew she would like. He had strict standards."

"Why didn't you say something? You couldn't have given her a heads up so she didn't get hit by something so out of left field."

"I love it when you bring the sports metaphors out." Derek trapped her against the refrigerator and kissed her.

"No, I have to go and stop my sister freaking out because your best friend is an idiot."

* * *

"So she didn't like the house." Mark stated when he saw Derek the next morning.

"She loved the house." Derek corrected. "She just didn't like that you sprung it on her without discussing it with her. I told you it would bite you in the ass."

"Did she love it?" Callie came up in a happy mood. "If not do you need a roommate?"

"I have a patient." Mark walked away.

"Was it something I said?" Callie inquired.

"Lexie liked it but freaked out and demanded he bring her back to our place. She spent most of the night crying and eating ice-cream with Meredith."

"That's not the reaction you expect when you by someone a house."

"She's a scared kid, who got something huge thrown at her. It's understandable to an extent." Derek pointed out. "I have surgery."

* * *

It was a few hours before Callie caught up with Lexie.

"I know it was a shock but did you like it?" Callie asked.

"Why is that everyone else knew he was buying a house but me?" Lexie inquired.

"He wanted it to be a surprise. Did you like it?"

"It's perfect."

"Then what's the problem?" Callie wondered out loud.

"It's too much at the moment. It's just too much." Lexie admitted.

"Dr Grey." One of the interns interrupted.

"What?" Lexie snapped then instantly apologised.

"I have a question about Mr Wilson."

"Will it kill him if it waits ten minutes?" Lexie asked.

"No."

"Excuse me." Lexie walked away, Callie could hear the hitch in her voice.

"Find someone else to ask, Dr Grey is going to be unavailable for the next half an hour." Callie told him before following in the direction Lexie had gone. She found her in the stairwell where Lexie was pacing tears running down her cheeks.

"I can't breathe." Lexie continued to pace.

"That's because you're having a panic attack. You need to stop pacing and focus on your breathing."

Lexie mumbled something and continued to pace.

"Dr Grey." Callie grabbed her by the shoulder and forced Lexie to look at her. "Breathe."

"I feel dizzy." Lexie admitted.

"Sit down and put your head between your legs." Callie instructed. Lexie looked at her waiting for her to catch on. "Right." Callie said looking at the bump. "Just sit down." Callie crouched down in front of her holding Lexie's wrists so she could feel her pulse. "That's it just breathe."

"Please tell me she isn't in labour." Richard Webber walked through the door.

"She's just having a panic attack. She'll be fine in a few minutes." Callie assured him.

"A panic attack?" Richard repeated.

"Mark bought her a house and sprung it on her last night." Callie explained.

"Dr Grey come to my office when you're ready." Richard told her before leaving.

When Lexie's breathing was back under control Callie moved to sit next to her.

"You know he bought the house with the best of intentions. He wanted you to have your dream house; he must have seen fifty in the last couple of months."

"Have you seen it?" Lexie asked, Callie nodded. "It is perfect. I just wish he'd talked to me about it first. He never even mentioned moving in together."

"He told you he wasn't going anywhere and were you really planning on raising the baby in Meredith's attic?"

"I hadn't thought about it." Lexie sighed.

"He wants you all to be a family. He's a guy so he doesn't always get it right, but he's trying. His male provider instincts kicked in, he's starting with putting a roof over your heads." Callie paused. "If you don't want to live there I will."

* * *

Mark hadn't seen Lexie at all that day; he was stood writing a notation on a chart the following morning when he heard Lexie call his name. He turned to find her dressed in maternity pants and his Med school alumni sweatshirt which despite the baby bump was still too big for her.

"I guess you're not here to ask if you can scrub in on my surgery."

"I'm here to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" He questioned.

"I have some vacation days I need to use up before the end of the year so I'm going to visit Molly and Laura for a few days."

"Lexie if this is about the house,"

"The house is perfect. You're perfect. I just need a few days away to clear my head. I wish my Mom was here right now, but she's not and I really need to spend some time with my sister." She stepped closer and kissed him.

"I love you." He whispered press a kiss against her forehead.

"I love you too."

"You're not driving to your sister's are you?"

"No. I'm going to catch a train." She replied, Molly lived a few hours from Seattle.

"Give me ten minutes to reschedule a few things and I'll drive you to the train station." He offered.

"I already called a cab it should be here in a few minutes, I just wanted to say goodbye."

"Let me know when you get there." He requested. Lexie nodded, gave him another quick kiss and walked away wiping away a tear that threatened to fall.

* * *

"Make yourself at home." Molly told Lexie as they walked into Molly's house. "I'm just going to put Laura down for a nap."

By the time Molly came back Lexie had already made two mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallows their mother's comfort drink.

"Thanks." Molly said when she took a seat on the opposite side of the kitchen table. "So what did McSteamy do this time to make you run?"

"I wish you wouldn't call him that."

"I thought you all called him that. You have to remember I have seen him and his is very good looking and I'm assuming very good in bed."

"Yes." Lexie blushed.

"So what did Mark do?"

"He bought me my dream house without even asking or telling me he was thinking about it."

"Quick call the FBI and have him thrown in jail for doing something sweet and thoughtful." Molly said with every ounce of sarcasm available.

"Molly." Lexie sighed.

"You ran away because he bought you a house." Molly pointed out.

"I didn't run away. I got overwhelmed at work yesterday and had a panic attack so the Chief suggested I use a few of my vacation days to get away and clear my head."

"The same Chief who was sleeping with Meredith's mother, who is probably part of the reason Dad left."

"We wouldn't be here if it didn't happen." Lexie reminded her.

"You know if Mom was still here she would says that you're an idiot."

"And why would she say that?" Lexie asked.

"Because you have a rich, successful, gorgeous doctor who is in love with you, who told he wants to spend the next fifty years proving he isn't going anywhere, who bought you your dream house and you're going to have a baby in a few months and you're questioning it. You have most women's dreams bar the diamond ring. Being in love can be scary, when someone else has your heart they have your heart they can break it. But life is too short worry about all the what if's of the future because you forget to enjoy the now. You're having a baby with a great guy."

"When did you get so smart?"

"I'm just telling you what you already know." Molly assured her. "There's a few things Mom would want me to tell you about being a parent too."

* * *

A few days later Molly was waiting for Lexie to get back from taking Laura for a walk.

"I think it's getting ready to snow." Lexie commented.

"You need to go back to Seattle." Molly told her.

"Fed up with me already?"

"Meredith called." Molly stated.

"Did something happen?" Lexie was instantly concerned.

"McSteamy has steam coming out his ears. He's snapping at everyone, he's made two nurses and half the interns cry. The nurses are threatening to go on strike until you get back. Everyone is avoiding him if at all possible."

"Meredith called?" Lexie questioned.

"I know it surprised me too. But she sounded desperate. Call her pager and she'll call you right back."

* * *

"The cookie baskets were a good idea." Derek fell into step with Mark.

"What?"

"It helped calm them down."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Mark asked.

"The cookies you sent the nurses."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Mark stopped and turned to look at him.

Derek looked passed him.

"She does not look happy. It's been nice knowing you." He patted Mark's arm and walked towards the woman. "It's nice to have you back."

Mark turned to see a very pissed off looking Lexie with her arms crossed resting on her stomach.

"I thought you weren't getting back until tomorrow night." He walked towards her.

"I had to come back to avert a nurses strike."

"What?" He was confused.

"Let me guess your surgery got cancelled."

"They needed the OR."

"No, the Chief couldn't get a nurse to go with ten feet of you willingly let alone in an OR. What the hell were you thinking? The first thing I learnt in med school is you don't piss off the nurses, they are either your best friend or your worst enemy. They work hard and they don't usually get enough credit for it and they certainly don't get paid enough for you being a jerk because I went to see my sister."

"Lexie." He stepped closer.

"You really don't get how bad you've been do you? The nurses were camped out in the Chief's office this morning they were all refusing to work with you until I got back."

"Why?"

"Mark, you've been yelling at people for no reason, you made two of the nurses cry not to mention what you've done to the interns. Derek is the only person who will come anywhere near you and that's only because he's seen you like this before. You yelled at Callie yesterday."

"Who ever told you that was exaggerating."

"Thank God, you're back." Cristina walked up and hugged and then walked off.

Lexie looked after her before turning back to Mark.

"She doesn't hug people unless they need their nerve system suppressed or Hunt is having another PTSD incident."

"Is the best place to have this conversation?" Mark remembered where they were.

"Right now I'm not a Doctor I'm an angry fat woman."

"In here." Mark, a hand on her back, guided her into an empty room. "Go ahead."

"I was gone two and a half days Mark, you know I haven't seen Molly in almost a year."

"I know."

"Meredith called Molly, she's never called Molly. They only ever speak on the phone if Molly calls looking for me."

"I know and I'm sorry." He stepped closer. Lexie put a hand on his chest to stop him getting any closer.

"I'm still mad at you and it's not just wrecking my vacation you need to apologise for."

"Cookies." It dawned on Mark what Derek had been talking about.

"You also sent flowers to the nurses you made cry. I think saving you from getting fired counts as an emergency that you gave me the credit card for."

"Ok." Mark conceded.

"But you need to apologise to them in person." Lexie told him.

"Fine."

"And you're going to do something nice for the interns."

"They're just interns." Mark reminded her.

"So was I until a few months ago. I'll figure something out with the Chief."

"Fine." He tried to kiss her.

"Wait, you need to buy furniture and redecorate."

"Does that mean you're moving in?" He asked hopefully.

"I don't think you asked."

"Do you want to move in with me?"

"Buy a decent couch and we'll talk about it." Lexie wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "You don't get to make big decision without discussing it with me first."

"Deal and I'm sorry."

"Good." Lexie ducked away from his grasp.

"You're killing me." He groaned.

"To clarify you're going to stop being a jerk, apologise to the nurses, do something nice for the interns, buy a couch, discuss life changing decisions with me and since you wrecked my vacation you're going to pay for whatever I decide to do in the next 36 hours."

"Did you want to be a lawyer when you were a kid?" Mark asked.

"No. I always wanted to be a Doctor. Unfortunately it was the one job my father would have rather I didn't choose, I think he would have preferred it if I came and told him I got a job as an exotic dancer rather than that I had gotten into Med school." Lexie noticed the way Mark was looking at her. "Jerk." She swatted his arm causing him to smirk. "I'm going to go and find the Chief and then Meredith, so I'll see you in 36 hours."

"Come on Lex." He pleaded.

Lexie kissed him.

"If you wreck what's left of my vacation having any more kids will be the least of your worries." She warned him.

"Why do you have to see Meredith?" Mark shifted uncomfortably.

"Because I had to leave the sister who is brutally honest with me and tells me what I need to hear whether I want to hear it or not so I'm going to find the sister who tells me what I want to hear whether she believes it or not."

"You Greys are complicated."

"You wouldn't have us any other way." Lexie stated before leaving.

Lexie found Meredith in the clinic.

"I'm sorry I had to call." Meredith apologised when she saw her. "I wasn't sure what else to do other than lock him up until you got back."

"It's ok, he's being punished and having to make suitable amends. You have the day off tomorrow right?" Lexie asked.

"Yes."

"Do you want to spend the day hanging out with your pregnant sister on Mark's dime?" Lexie suggested.

"I'm supposed to be having dinner with Cristina tomorrow night."

"If she doesn't mind me being there I think Mark can spring for the most expensive restaurant in town."

"Deal." Meredith smiled.

* * *

The three women sat dressed up looking at the menus.

"I have a question." Cristina stated. "What is up with your interns and the spelling thing?"

"You haven't of Lexie rule?" Meredith asked. "Derek and Mark think it's hilarious and exploit it."

"So does Dr Robbins." Lexie added. "My interns can't spell so I made the rule unless they can spell what is wrong with a patient or their treatment they don't get near the patient."

"They can't spell?" Cristina questioned.

"One of them couldn't spell appendectomy a week ago."

"How did they get through med school?

"That's what I'm wondering." Lexie agreed.

"What are we eating?" Meredith inquired.

"Why is it the more expensive the restaurant the smaller the amount of food you get on your plate?" Cristina wondered out loud.

"I have a confession." Lexie admitted. "All I really want is Chinese food and to get out of this dress it itches."

"Thank god." Meredith sighed.

"Chinese food is good." Cristina agreed.

"Are you ready to order?" The waiter came over.

"We're all doctors and we have to leave." Lexie told him. "There is a twenty dollar tip in it for you if you can find us a desert that doesn't have eggs in it that we can take with us."

"I'll see what I can do." He left.

"Nicely done." Cristina stated.

"The other thing I learnt from the European History Major, it's not lying if you tell the truth and leave parts out at least what he thought, I disagreed."

* * *

A few hours later Lexie was lying propped up on the couch with Meredith and Cristina sat on the floor next to it occasionally tossing popcorn at the screen as they watched a movie.

"Want a beer?" Derek asked when he came in with Mark.

"Sure."

"She learnt a new trick." Lexie told Mark putting a piece of popcorn on her stomach, and then giving the baby a gentle prod the popcorn went flying into the air.

"She is probably objecting to being prodded." Mark suggested as he sat down putting Lexie's feet in his lap.

"I object to being kicked in the kidney all day but that's life." She shrugged. "So did you have a nice day at the office dear?"

"If you think spending twelve hours teaching interns how to suture is a good day."

"I'm sure the Chief and I can come up with something else if you don't think it is the right punishment." She offered.

"No. Speaking of punishment how much did it cost me?"

"Pedicures, manicures, massages, dinner." Meredith agreed. "By the way I like the house."

"If you wanted to show it to her you could have had your keys." Mark pointed out.

"I told you buy a couch and we'll talk about it." Lexie rubbed her stomach.

"You couldn't just pick one out and I'll pay for it?" Mark suggested.

"No. But we did buy you a bed, it's getting delivered in a week and you don't have to pay for it for six months." Lexie told him.

"Cristina, you have to try this mattress." Meredith told Cristina. "The only reason we got up was because the sales people were giving us strange looks. I almost bought one."

"Bought what?" Derek came in and handed Mark a bottle of beer.

"The perfect mattress." Meredith replied.

"They bought me a bed." Mark explained. "I should have probably mentioned all the furniture from my condo in New York was getting shipped out here, including my bed."

"Incinerate the mattress." Cristina stated.

"I'm with her on that one." Lexie agreed. "And it's not like you don't have room. Trust me you'll love it."

"Lex, I'm doing a corpus callosotomy tomorrow." Derek took a sip of his beer. "You want in?"

"Splitting a brain hell yes." Lexie agreed.

"Hey!" Cristina processed.

"You're doing a valve replacement tomorrow." Derek pointed out. "What about you?" He asked Meredith.

"Owen's planning on putting me in charge of the pit for the day. Something about time and crisis management."

"At least he isn't leaving you in charge of four pigs with just interns." Cristina pointed.

"Hey!" Lexie protested. "And duck." Meredith ducked so she could get up.

"Where are you going?" Mark asked.

"To change again. These clothes itch."

"It's her fourth outfit today." Meredith explained.

"Do you remember when Beth was pregnant with Connor that she kept breaking out in hives?" Derek sat down in the spot Lexie had vacated. "Addie ran all those tests only to figure out it was something in the dye of Tim's football shirt."

"It doesn't quite beat Hope calling me to find out what to do when she realised her boyfriend was allergic to latex." It took Mark half a second to realise what he had said.

"What?" Derek asked as the mention of his eighteen year old niece.

"At least she was trying to be safe."

"Shut up it's getting to the good part." Cristina chastised still watching the movie where there was a huge explosion.

"Of course she likes action movies." Mark sighed.

"I'm not going to watch that romantic sappy crap." Cristina stated. "And Owen still has a problem with explosions."

TBC


	7. 37 weeks

**37 weeks.**

Meredith was stood at the nurses station making a notation on her patients chart when Mark walked up beside her. He didn't say anything for a minute just watched Lexie who was talking to one of her interns on the other side of the station.

"One more shot before the kid is born. Wish me luck." He requested of Meredith.

"Good luck." She glanced at him then at Lexie as he strode over.

"Scram." Mark waved the intern away.

"Mark?" Lexie turned to look at him.

"Let me take that." He grabbed the chart from her hand and set it down and then led her a few steps away.

"What's going on?" She questioned.

Mark paused for a moment before beginning.

"Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen."

"Mark." Lexie interrupted confused.

"Shhh or I'll forget where I am and have to start again." He told her before picking up where he left off. "Fluorine, Neon, Sodium, Magnesium..."

As Mark continued Lexie began to cry. Meredith just watched until Derek came to stand beside her.

"Why is Mark reciting the periodic table?"

"'One more shot before the kid is born.'" Meredith echoed Mark's words.

"He bought her a house and a flawless diamond ring." Derek pointed out.

"You redecorated an elevator." Meredith reminded him. "I think it's sweet."

"...Hassium, Meitnerium, Darmstadtium, Roentgenium, Copemicium." Mark finished.

"Why?" Lexie asked as he wiped away her tears.

"Marry me." He whispered. Lexie looked at him then wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Is that a yes?" Lexie nodded and kissed him again.

"I guess she's moving out." Derek remarked to Meredith.

"She's my sister, she and the baby could have stayed as long as she liked." She paused. "You should be happy your best friend is getting married."

"Mark, I know this is going to totally ruin the moment, but I have to pee." Lexie whispered.

"Go." He kissed her and then walked over to Derek and Meredith.

"Congratulations." Meredith gave him a kiss on the cheek. "All the warnings from before still count even if you are marrying my sister. Excuse me."

"Congratulations." Derek added. "But why the periodic table?"

"When I found she had a photographic memory I made her recite it, it's the day we became friends. Besides nothing else worked."

"Need a best man?" Derek offered.

"Sure. Do you think Callie is free?" He joked.

* * *

Meredith was waiting for Lexie when she left the bathroom cubicle.

"Congratulations." She smiled.

"Thanks." Lexie washed her hands.

"I knew you were planning on moving out." Meredith started.

"How did you know that?"

"You've been packing for the last few weeks."

"I did tell him if he bought a decent couch. It took him a month to find one." She paused. "You don't want a screaming baby keeping you up all night and we deserve the chance to be a family."

"What changed your mind about getting married?" Meredith asked.

"There's someone I want you to meet." Lexie told her. Meredith followed her out of the bathroom and down to the pediatric oncology ward. "You see that little blonde girl in the corner."

"Yes."

"Her name is Susan Grey. She was born the day Mom died." Lexie explained. Meredith looked at her. "She had leukemia, but has been in remission for six months, but all the drugs did a number on her liver and she needs a transplant. She was adopted so her parents aren't a match."

"She's why you changed your mind about getting married?"

"No. Her brother James has had the flu so we've kept her parents away just in case they get it. Her mother writes her a letter every day telling her about her hopes for the future. She wrote her one about the man she should marry and it reminded me that Mom wrote Molly and I letters when we were born with her hopes for our lives. I went to Dad's and found mine." She pulled a worn envelope out of her pocket and handed it to Meredith. "A lot of what she says makes sense, Mark loves me I can't keep pushing him away on a what if. We deserve to be happy, we deserve to be a family."

"You all do." Meredith agreed.

"Lexie. I was just about to page you." Arizona interrupted. "UNOS just called they found Susie a liver. It's in Tacoma, I'm heading out on the retrieval now. Are you ok to set things up here? I should be back in a couple of hours at most."

"We'll be ready when you get back." Lexie confirmed.

"Do you want in to Meredith? I need someone to come on the retrieval with me." Arizona offered.

"Ok." Meredith looked at Lexie. "I'd take that as a definite sign you made the right decision."

"Did I miss something?" Arizona asked.

"Mark and I are getting married." Lexie told her.

"Damn now I owe Callie ten bucks, I thought you'd at least hold out until after the baby was born. Congratulations."

"Thanks." Lexie smiled.

Ten minutes later Lexie was just getting off the phone to Susie's parents when her intern appeared.

"I need you to go and find Dr Sloan and ask him if he can bump his rhinoplasty because I need his OR and scrub team for a liver transplant."

"You want me to ask Dr Sloan to bump his surgery?" He repeated.

"It's an elective procedure and my surgery is time sensitive. He's in a good mood so he should be fine."

Twenty minutes later Lexie was on hold when a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"You sent an intern."

"What?" She turned to see Mark leaning against the nurses' station.

"You disappeared on me and then sent an intern to steal my OR." He explained.

"They found a liver for my patient, Dr Robbins went on the retrieval with Meredith and left me to organise things here. From what I remember from when I was reading the board earlier, you had the surgery that was easiest to move."

"You can have the OR." He told her. "You also forgot this."

"Thank you." She responded to the person on the phone and hung up. She looked down at the round cut 1ct flawless diamond in a platinum setting ring he held between his fingers. "You do have good taste in jewellery."

"I wanted to get you a bigger stone but Derek told me you'd kill me."

"He's right." Lexie confirmed. "You should know me well enough to I'm not the flashy type, I like simple and I live on a budget."

"You know you don't have to."

"Mark, I can pay my own way and I'm not materialistic, I mean other than that bed."

"And the couch." He added.

"And the couch." She agreed. "It's why the fact that you memorised the entire periodic table means more than any of the other stuff you've tried in the last seven months."

"Dr Grey." One of the nurses interrupted. "Mr and Mrs Grey are here."

"I'll be right there." She told her. "Hold on to it for me until I'm done with surgery." She closed her hand over his.

"Are you sure you're up to being in surgery for that long? You're going on maternity leave at the end of the week."

"She's my patient and I have to see it through. I'll be fine, but I have to go explain everything to her parents, I'll see you later." She kissed his cheek.

* * *

Five hours later Lexie gasped sharply. Everyone stopped and looked at her.

"Please tell me you didn't just go into labour?" Arizona requested.

"No. Her foot is stuck under my ribs again and she kicked my diaphragm. She does it a couple times a week, I just prod her and she moves. My hands a little full right now."

"Where?" The anaesthesiologist asked.

"Left hand side, half way up the bump." Lexie replied. The woman prodded, and the baby moved. "Thanks."

"If you need to scrub out or take a break." Arizona suggested.

"I'm fine." Lexie assured her.

"Lexie." Meredith prompted.

"I'm not in labour, Dr Chang thinks it will probably be another week or two at least." Lexie explained. "And it took me an hour and a half to convince Mark the Braxton Hicks contractions I had last week weren't anything to worry about. I don't need any more concerned doctors."

"I can beat that." The anaesthesiologist stated. "I was married to an OB/GYN for six years and had three kids in four years. Half way through the first pregnancy I switched to a different doctor in another hospital, during the second pregnancy I had to ban him from any of my appointments and with the third I didn't even tell him I was in labour until after my son was born. Doctors make the worst expectant fathers, they know the worst that could happen and always have to know every little detail."

* * *

It was another few hours and Lexie stood leaning against the wall outside the OR her eyes closed.

"Long day?"

She opened her eyes to see Mark stood next to her.

"Yes, but a good one." She smiled. "I think you have something of mine."

He held out the ring and she slid it onto her finger.

"No more surgery." He told her.

"I know. It's the clinic for the next two days." She agreed.

"Your shift finished two hours ago, it's time to get out of here and celebrate."

"If your idea of celebration involves sleeping." She yawned.

"Did it go ok?" He asked.

"She made it through and she should make a full recovery." Lexie smiled.

"You want to be a peds surgeon don't you?" Mark guessed.

"I don't get to declare a speciality yet." She reminded him. "Probably. I hate it when they don't make it, but it feels so much better when they get to go home and grow into who they are going be."

"Lexie." Arizona walked over pulling off her scrub cap.

"You know it's your fault." Mark told her, and then continued when she shot him a confused look. "She wants to be a Peds surgeon."

"The best people are." Arizona smiled. "Do you want to come and talk to Susie's parents with me?"

"Yes." Lexie pushed herself away from the wall. "I'll be about an hour."

"By the way congratulations." Arizona told Mark.

* * *

Later that night, Mark came out of the bathroom with just a towel slung around his hips to find Lexie had slipped off her shoes and was laying fully clothed in the middle of the bed with her hands resting on her stomach and her eyes closed.

"Are you asleep?" Mark inquired.

"No. I'm just remembering why I love this mattress so much." She opened her eyes and looked at him. "That's a good look for you."

"You could have been sleeping on it for the last month." Mark pointed out.

"You took a long time to pick a couch." Lexie countered.

"That's because you didn't like anything I picked."

"White leather is never a good idea and most of them were really uncomfortable." She reminded him.

"Are you hungry?" Mark asked realising that given she had been in surgery for seven hours and they had left together she hadn't eaten.

"I would say I've been craving pizza all day but I honestly don't think I'd be awake by the time it was delivered." She admitted.

"I've got the microwave kind that cooks in three minutes." He offered.

"Sounds good." She yawned. Mark started to move towards the door. "You can't go down like that."

"Ok." He took the towel off and tossed it to her.

"Mark the neighbours." She protested. "Put the towel back on." She threw it back to him.

He was back in a few minutes, Lexie was now sat propped up against the pillows, Mark sat down next to her on the bed.

"I bet this isn't how you imagined celebrating getting engaged." Lexie commented.

"Eat microwave pizza in bed? No, but when have we ever done anything normally." He kissed her.

"We need to go baby shopping. I know we bought the stroller and crib but we still need clothes and the small stuff."

"As long as she doesn't come before this weekend we'll be fine." He assured her.

"What's happening this weekend?"

"Callie would break both my legs if I told you."

TBC


	8. Baby Day

**Baby Day**

It turned out Callie had managed to organise a very elaborate baby shower / house warming / engagement party. Since Molly couldn't be there Callie had arranged for join the party by web cam on Mark's 50" plasma TV.

Derek looked up from his chart when he stopped by the nurses' station and someone said his name.

"Lexie what are you doing here?" He asked confused seeing her sat there in scrubs.

"I got fed up of sitting at home waiting so I came in."

"You're supposed to be on maternity leave not doing whatever you're doing."

"Spell checking my interns' charts." Lexie clarified. "Hold on." She gripped the edge of the desk until her knuckles went white and then let out a slow breath. "Sorry."

"Lexie is there any chance that you're in labour?" He asked.

"Yes." Lexie replied.

"Yes there is a chance or yes you're in labour."

"Both." Lexie sighed.

"We should get you admitted and down in the maternity ward and where is Mark?"

"In surgery for the next four hours." Lexie replied. "And I'm already admitted." She held up her wrist to show her hospital bracelet. "I'm only four centimetres dilated, so Dr Chang said it was fine for me to leave as long as I go back every hour and when the contractions are only a few minutes apart. Meredith keeps sending interns to check on me."

"And Mark is fine with staying in surgery?" Derek questioned.

"He doesn't know yet. Please don't tell him. I'm fine, everything is going to plan, but this is going to take a lot longer than four hours, I'll tell him when he's done."

"He'd want to know." Derek insisted.

"I have a contraction then there is twenty minutes of nothing. He might as well stay where he is and be doing some good rather than stood around annoying me."

"Here you go." Callie came up and handed Lexie a soda cup.

"Thanks." She smiled.

"You know about this too?" Derek asked. "And you don't have any objections?"

"Mark did his part nine months ago, Lexie is doing great and there is nothing he could be doing anyway. He'll get to be there for the important part." Callie stated. "Page me if you need anything."

"Thanks." Lexie agreed. "Please don't tell him."

"Ok." Derek held up his hands. "Let me know if you need anything."

"I will."

* * *

"Mark?" Lexie called when he walked through the hall with another doctor five hours later.

"What are you doing here?" He walked over to the nurses' station.

"Nice to see you too." Lexie rolled her eyes.

"Sorry."

"Dr Grey." The Chief interrupted. "Did you have time to look...?"

"All done." Lexie dumped a stack of files on the counter.

"Thank you. How far apart are they now?"

"Twelve minutes." Lexie replied.

"I'll check back on you later."

Lexie turned to look at Mark who was processing.

"Did I mention I was in labour?" She asked innocently.

"We need to get you down to OB."

"No we don't." Lexie stated. "I'm already admitted, I'm six centimetres dilated, Dr Chang says I'm doing fine and if I'm happier up here keeping busy then I can stay here until the contractions are five minutes apart."

"Lexie." Mark said in a warning tone. "How long have you been having contractions?"

"What time did you leave this morning?" She asked.

"Six."

"Then since about four."

"Twelve hours and now you think to tell me." He was annoyed.

"You've been in surgery for eight hours." She reminded him. "And this is still going to take hours. So go and be brilliant and I'll page you when it's nearer the time."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Hold on." She told him as another contraction hit, he rounded the counter and tried to take her hand but she batted it away and grabbed something from the desk and squeezed it. When it was over she let out a breath. "See I'm fine." She made a quick notation before looking at him.

"Lexie." He then noticed what it was she had in her hand heart and bone shaped stress balls.

"Callie's idea. So I didn't break your hand." She explained. "Go back to work."

"No."

"They didn't have any grape juice only apple." Derek stopped when he saw Mark and then handed over Lexie's food.

"Thanks." She took it and tore open a packet of chips. She could feel Mark watching her. "What? I need to keep my strength up and I'm starving."

"You knew about this?" Mark turned to Derek.

"You were in surgery and there wasn't anyone who could go in a replace you until you were almost done. We've been keeping an eye on her, she's doing great."

"And she hates being talked about like she's not here." Lexie pointed out. "Derek can you just take him with you and keep him busy for a few hours otherwise he's going to drive me crazy and I've managed to be very calm and relaxed up until this point."

"As long as you promise to page him as soon as you hit five minutes and you have to go back to OB." Derek bargain.

"Or you could just lock him in a closet." Lexie suggested.

"I'm not going anywhere." Mark insisted.

"Either you go or I go and I'm comfortable here." Lexie stated.

"Mark, come on you can harass Chang for a while." Derek told him.

"Fine." He said through gritted teeth before kissing the top of Lexie's head.

* * *

"Owen." Derek walked up to Hunt who was talking to a nurse.

"Shepherd."

"I need you to keep Mark down here for a few hours, no surgery." Derek requested.

"Do I want to know why?" Owen signed the chart and handed it off.

"Lexie is up stairs at the nurses' station in labour and Mark has only just found out about it as he was in surgery. She doesn't want him around until she is closer so he doesn't drive her crazy."

"You don't know want to piss off a woman in labour." Owen nodded. "I'll keep him busy."

* * *

Lucy Susan Sloan entered the world at 4.02am, weighing in at 8lb 3oz and with a full head of brown hair. Lexie smiled as Mark sat on the edge of her bed holding the bundle of joy wrapped in a pink blanket.

"Do you want to have another one?" Lexie inquired.

"You just had a baby less than two hours ago and you want to have another one already?"

"I'm not talking about tomorrow, but in a few years."

"Let's see how we do with this one first." Mark suggested before giving her a quick kiss.

There was a knock on the door and it opened and Alex stuck his head in.

"Hey Lex, congrats."

"Thanks." Lexie smiled.

"Dr Sloan, I have a patient. 47 year old female who fell through a plate glass window three days ago while she was visiting her sister in Florida, she got back yesterday but woke up with searing pain in her leg. The wound is necrotising, I need to debried it but I don't know if the leg can be saved."

"I'm a little busy here Karev, find someone else to help." Mr told him.

"He'll be right there Alex." Lexie assured him, and then looked at Mark. "It's been a long 24 hours, I'm going to try and get some sleep, I'll have them take Lucy to the nursery, you can go and get her when you're done with your consult."

"Lexie..." Mark started to say in a warning tone.

"Mark, the woman's body is eating itself. We can manage without you for twenty minutes." Lexie insisted.

"Fine." Mark conceded.

"Thank you." Alex mouthed to Lexie before starting to pull the door shut.

"Hey Alex?" Lexie called stopping him. "When do I get my money?"

"What money?" Alex asked.

"I picked the first eight hours of today so that means I win the pool." Lexie reminded him.

"I think that was rigged."

"When I picked a date four months ago I don't think so."

"You'll have it by the end of the day." Alex rolled his eyes.

"Thank you." She smiled and looked at Mark who was scowling. "It's not my fault you didn't win; babies come on their own schedules."

"I'm never going to have control again am I?" Mark pondered out loud.

"I just had an 8lb baby without any drugs; I think that buys me a few months at least." She carefully took Lucy from Mark. "Go and help her."

"I love you both." Mark gave them both a kiss before he reluctantly left.

* * *

When Lexie woke up from her nap a couple hours later, her room was empty. She slowly climbed out of bed and slipped on her slippers and robe. She walked down the nursery, as she approached she saw a woman leaning against the glass.

"Are you ok?" Lexie asked.

The woman turned her head, her skin had no colour, she slowly held up a hand covered in blood.

"Oh god." Lexie said. "I NEED A LITTLE HELP OUT HERE." She yelled as she had to move quickly to catch the woman before she hit the ground.

A nurse had heard her; Lexie had her robe pushed against the woman's stomach trying to stench the bleeding while feeling for a pulse.

"I need a crash cart now; she needs to be back in surgery." Lexie instructed. The nurse ran for help, and came back with four other nurses. They had to shock her heart and Lexie left one of the nurses performing CPR as she instructed them to take her up to the surgical floor.

"What the hell is going on here?" One of the OB/GYN attending demanded as Lexie who was covered in blood grabbed the desk phone.

"I'm trying to save your patients life." Lexie dialled an extension as the nurse handed her the patients file.

"Who do you think you are?"

Lexie ignored him and spoke to Dr Bailey explaining the situation.

"She's Dr Grey, one of the surgical residents. Dr Sloan's fiancée." The nurse explained.

"I need to shower." Lexie said when she got off the phone. "Can you get me some scrubs and bring Lucy in in about ten minutes?"

"Of course." The nurse smiled at her. "Thank you for your help."

* * *

"There you are." Mark found Lexie stood in the surgical observation room, holding Lucy. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"I had to come and check on Mrs Mayers."

"And you had to wear scrubs for that?" He questioned.

"Her stitches burst outside the nursery and her heart stopped I got covered in her blood trying to save her. Dr Bailey is still trying to stop the bleeding; she's already had to perform a hysterectomy. I may have pissed off one the attending."

"Lexie you just had a baby you shouldn't be running around the hospital."

"Women in Africa have babies and go back to work. I just needed to check on her." She glanced through the glass. "Life's too short." Molly's words came back to her.

"What?" Mark asked.

"Life's too short." Lexie repeated. "Here take Lucy, I need to go and find Meredith."

"Meredith?"

"I love you." She kissed him before disappearing out the door.

"Lexie?" He called after her, but stopped when Lucy started to stir.

* * *

"Meredith." Lexie found her.

"Lexie, what are you doing here? I was coming to see you when I finished these charts."

"I need your help with something."

"Anything."

"I want to get married." Lexie told her.

"I thought that's what this meant." Meredith held Lexie's hand up which was sporting her engagement ring.

"I mean today. Life's too short to wait. I've spoken to the hospital chaplain we can have the hospital chapel at 5."

"Lexie, you need a licence unless you planning having a post-it note wedding too."

"We have one. We were planning on going to city hall when Lucy was a few weeks old; it's on the mantel piece behind the clock. We have rings that are hidden in the back of Mark's underwear drawer; he has a grey suit in a drycleaners bag at the back of the closet."

"Ok." Meredith tried to take it all in. "What about you?"

"Can you just grab something and I'll hope it fits?" Lexie suggested handing her her keys. "By the way you might want to grab something for you and Derek, Mark's going to need a best man and I need a maid of honour."

"Does Mark know about this?" Meredith inquired.

"No and don't tell him. I'll explain it to him after you convince Derek to get him in a suit without telling him why."

* * *

A few hours later Meredith stuck her head round the door and looked around.

"Where's Mark?" She asked Lexie who was sat on the bed holding her sleeping daughter.

"He's gone to check on Alex's patient." Lexie replied.

"Good." Meredith beckoned to someone outside before stepping in and closing the blinds.

"Hey." Izzie came in holding a garment bag.

"Hi." Lexie echoed. "What's in the bag?"

"You can't get married without a dress." Izzie stated.

"You bought me a dress?"

"Hired." Meredith corrected. "It has to be back in three days."

"It's a little Pride and Prejudice. It should hide the post baby bump. Not that you don't look great."

Five minutes later Lexie heard a familiar whistle coming down the hall.

"That's Mark." Lexie was stood in the dress, Izzie sat on the bed holding Lucy and Meredith was near the door.

"I'll stall him." Meredith offered.

"Get him to check on Mrs Mayers for me." Lexie suggested.

Meredith slipped out the door then stood in front of it.

"Meredith." Mark stopped in front of her.

"Hi Mark, congratulations again."

"Thanks." He paused. "Can I go in?"

"Lexie needs a minute."

"Why?" He crossed his arms eyeing her.

"It's a girl thing." She hesitated. "She wants you to check on a Mrs Mayers whoever she is."

"The woman she saved from bleeding to death earlier." Mark studied her. "I'm going to find out what's going on."

"She just had a baby and needs a minute,"

"I'll be back in five minutes." He turned and walked back down the hallway.

"We have five minutes." She ducked back into the room.

"Help me with the buttons." Lexie requested.

* * *

At 4.45 Mark found Derek.

"What is so urgent you had to page me and why are you wearing a suit?" Mark asked.

"Come with me." Derek led him into the Attendings locker room. "Put this on." He handed Mark a garment bag.

"Do you want to tell me what the hell is going on?" Mark demanded.

"Lexie told me to give you this." He handed Mark a note which read.

'_Put the suit on and I'll explain everything. I love you. Lexie.'_

"She just had your daughter, give her a little leeway." Derek suggested.

"Fine."

When he was ready Derek took him to where he knew that Lexie would be waiting. She was still dressed in her scrubs, but Izzie had pinned her hair up, and applied the slightest amount of makeup.

"What's going on Lex and why am I in this suit?" Mark asked.

"Can you give us a minute?" She requested of Derek.

"I'll be over there." He moved away.

"Lexie..." Mark prompted.

"I think we should get married."

"I thought we were." Mark was confused.

"I mean right now."

"Now?" He questioned.

"Meredith and Izzie have been great helping me organise everything, they even managed to find me a dress that doesn't make me looking like a deflated balloon."

"You're serious?"

"Yes. Everyone is waiting in the chapel."

"You couldn't have decided this six months ago?" Mark asked trying to process.

"You didn't propose six months ago." Lexie reminded him.

"I did twice though."

"I'm not sure the first attempt counts. You showed me the ring, told me you didn't want me to freak out but when I was ready you thought maybe possibly we should get married."

"That's a lousy proposal." Derek commented.

"Coming from a guy who hit his mother's ring with a baseball bat?" Mark looked at him.

"Your second attempt was better." Lexie tried to focus his attention. "So what do you think?"

"Is this what you really want?" Mark asked.

"Alex is going to record it for Molly and Dad who seems to have thought this was a good time to go out of town. Life's too short to wait for the perfect moment."

"Ok." Mark agreed.

"Ok?"

"Ok." He kissed her. "Let's get married right now."

"Give me five minutes to put the dress on. Lucy's in there with Callie and Arizona. I'll be right back."

"You knew about this?" Mark turned to Derek once she disappeared.

"Only for an hour or so." Derek replied.

"A heads up would have been nice." Mark ran a hand through his hair.

"I thought this is what you wanted Lexie and Lucy, a wife and kid."

"It was, it is. I just didn't expect it all in one day."

"You got involved with a Grey, life never goes as expect. Let's get you married." Derek slapped him on the back.

The wedding ceremony didn't last long, and after the kiss to seal the deal they talked with their friends. Then the cascade of pagers went off.

"I'm sorry; there was a bus crash two blocks from here." Richard apologised.

"It's okay. Thank you for coming." Lexie told him.

Callie reluctantly handed a sleeping Lucy back to her mother.

Lexie looked at Mark when they had all gone.

"You should go to."

"What?" He looked at her.

"It's a bus crash, they'll need a plastic surgeon somewhere, and they might as well have the best. Lucy and I will go back to my room and try and get some more sleep. It's been a long day."

"They'll manage without me."

"Mark. Go and be brilliant." She kissed him. "Or you take the baby and I'll go and help."

"Ok." He conceded. "I won't be long."

"Just change out of that suit first. You look good in it."

"And you look good in a wedding dress. I love you Mrs Sloan." He kissed her.

"I love you too."

* * *

It was late when Mark finally made it back to Lexie's room.

"I'm sorry I got stuck in surgery." He apologised.

"It's ok." She moved over so he could lie on the bed and she rested her head on his chest.

"Is Lucy in the nursery?"

"They took her back about ten minutes ago." She confirmed.

"We should get some sleep." Mark told her.

"I have a confession first."

"You changed your mind?" Mark guessed.

"No." She paused. "I would have said yes when you asked me to marry you the first time if you hadn't given yourself an out."

"An out?" He questioned.

"You told me it was my decision, it sounded like you were proposing because you thought you should not because you wanted to. The second time you made it clear it was what you wanted too."

"Either way you're stuck with me now." He kissed the top of her head.

"I know this isn't how you imagined spending your wedding night..." She started.

"I have you and I have Lucy it sounds pretty good to me."

"Then I have another confession."

"You want to run away and join the circus?" He guessed.

"When I went to visit Molly I had every intention of telling you I'd move in with you when I got back. Right up until Meredith called."

"So buying a couch was what?"

"A result of me being mad and you really did need to buy a couch."

"Anything else you want to confess?" He wondered out loud.

"You really do look good in a suit."

"Go to sleep." He kissed the top of her head.

* * *

At four am Lexie slipped out of bed and made her way down to the nursery.

"Dr Grey." She ran into one of the nurses. "The other Dr Grey is feeding Lucy."

"That's fine." Lexie assured her. "Can I go in?"

"Sure." The nurse swiped her in.

Meredith looked up when she heard the door open.

"Hey." Lexie whispered.

"I had a few minutes free and the nurse said I could..."

"It's ok, she looks happy there." Lexie smiled.

"So a baby, husband and a mortgage all in one day?"

"No mortgage, Mark bought the house outright and put it in my name. He didn't want Lucy and I to worry about where we were ever going to live." Lexie explained.

"Wow." Meredith said. Lucy started to fuss.

"You need to burp her."

"I don't..."

"Here." Lexie took her daughter and held her up to her shoulder to burp her.

"You seem to have got the hang of that." Meredith smiled.

"It's on the job training." Lexie agreed. "I know Mark is going to talk to Derek but we were wondering if you wanted to be Lucy's godmother."

"Me?" Meredith was stunned. "What about Molly?"

"We're asking her too." Lexie confirmed.

"Sure." Meredith agreed.

"We also were wondering if you and Derek would be her guardians if anything happened to us."

"I don't know anything about babies."

"And I hope you don't have to find out until you have your own and the odd bit of babysitting."

"Ok." Meredith agreed.

"Good."

"So why Lucy?" Meredith inquired.

"Mark's grandmother was called Lucille; she died when he was five. From what Mark and Carolyn told me she was the only one who gave a damn about him. But if Mark asks it was just because I liked the name."

Meredith's pager vibrated.

"I have to get back to work; I'll come and see you both later."

"We're going home after morning rounds." Lexie stated.

"I thought hospital policy was at least two days."

"We're both fine, we were running around the hospital all day. Besides Dr Chang knows we're both going to be under the very watchful eye of a doctor, so he said we could home. The Chief gave Mark three days off."

"I'll come and visit when I get off."

"You're welcome anytime." Lexie smiled.

TBC


	9. six weeks

**+ 6 Weeks**

The nurse laughed as Mark handed her the chart he had just signed off.

"I don't know I go and maternity leave and he starts flirting with the nurses again Lucy." Lexie shook her head.

"Hey." Mark turned to see his wife stood behind him. "What are you doing here?" He gave her a quick before taking the baby carrier from her and setting it on the counter.

"Six week check up." She replied.

"And?"

"We're both happy, healthy and good to go."

"I might have to do a thorough inspection myself." He kissed her.

"If you can get your daughter to sleep tonight."

"She didn't sleep." He asked as he unbuckled her.

"She screamed from midnight until gone five when she finally wore herself out. I think she missed you, it's the first night you have been home to put her to bed since she was born."

"I would have been there but...."

"I know nineteen hour surgery, I get it but I don't think she does."

Mark cradled the baby against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder and gently rubbed her back. Lexie smiled she loved watching Mark with her.

"Dr Sloan." A group of interns came up and stopped by him.

"Have you come up with any legitimate suggestions?" Mark asked. "I got stuck trying to diagnose a patient with only these idiots for help."

"Be nice to the interns." Lexie told him. "May I?" She asked.

"Give her the chart and fill her in." Mark instructed.

Lexie scanned through the chart and the test results while they gave her the details.

"He just got back from visiting his sister and her kids?" She asked.

"Yes in Maine." One of the interns replied.

"Do you mind if I go and talk to your patient?" Lexie inquired.

"You have a diagnosis?" Mark looked at her.

"I think so, but I need to talk to him first."

"Go ahead, take them with you."

Lexie leaned over the counter and grabbed two pencils and used them to pin her hair up. She grabbed her hospital ID and clipped in onto her belt and alleviated Mark of his stethoscope.

Mark watched her.

"What? Now I look more like a doctor rather than someone who just walked in off the streets. Come on." She said to the interns.

"Hey." Derek walked up to where Mark was still holding Lucy. "Hey gorgeous. I think she smiled at me."

"It's gas." Mark stated.

"Where's Lexie?"

"Gone to talk to the patient I've been trying to diagnosis with the interns for five hours, who she thinks she knows what's wrong with in the space of five minutes."

"My money is one her."

"Can you and Meredith babysit for a few hours this weekend?"

"Are you working?" Derek asked.

"No. But I've been married six weeks and I'd like to spend a little time alone with my wife."

"Ah... Saturday afternoon work for you?"

"Perfect." Mark agreed.

"Dr Sloan." Mark and Derek turned to where the interns and Lexie had returned. "We're sorry."

"For what?" Mark looked at them and then at Lexie.

"We didn't take a full history."

"What did you miss?"

"Since he didn't have a rash and minor neurological symptoms we didn't think to ask..." One of them started.

"His niece and nephew have the chickenpox." Lexie explained.

"Encephalitis." Derek guessed.

"Chickenpox in the brain." Mark repeated.

"It explains all his symptoms, and he does have one spot on his right little toe."

"What's the diagnostic test for encephalitis Dr Grey?" Derek inquired. "Or is Dr Sloan?"

"I still haven't decided, I'll get back to you. There several tests, Martin is running a blood and urine sample down to the lab because he's never had the chickenpox and I don't want him near Lucy. A CT or MRI which are booked for the next hour, an EEG and a spinal tap which I've never done by myself before. He needs a full neurological exam because his pupils are getting pretty big as the pressure is building, I left Claire with him."

"Swelling in the brain is your area of expertise." Mark handed Derek the chart. "So you get a new patient, some interns and I get to go to lunch with my wife and daughter."

"Fine, but only because she's adorable. Yes you are..." He smiled at Lucy.

"I'll see you on Friday; let me know if you're going to be late." Lexie told Derek.

"Late for what?" Mark questioned.

"Since both you and Meredith are working late on Friday Derek is coming over for dinner to keep Lucy and I company."

"I'll see you on Friday. Let's go." He added to the interns.

* * *

Lexie and Mark were chatting when they turned to see Cristina dropping her tray on the table.

"Please tell me you are back." She requested.

"Not for another two weeks." Lexie apologised. "What did they do now?"

"The question would be what didn't they do?"

"Where are they?" Lexie sighed.

"The clinic."

"Are you ok watching Lucy for ten minutes while I go and yell at my interns?"

"You're on maternity leave, they're Yang's problem." Mark pointed out.

"They're my interns and my responsibility." Lexie countered.

"Go."

"She's going to be awake enough to want her bottle soon, remember..."

"I have done this before." Mark reminded her.

"I won't be long." She assured him with a quick kiss.

When she was gone Mark noticed Cristina watching him.

"What?"

"I don't like it."

"What?"

"This domestic side of you. It's creepy." Cristina waved her hand in the air vaguely.

"Get used to it."

"My favourite person." Meredith came over a minute later.

"Nice to see you too." Mark remarked.

"Not you. Hand her over."

"She's asleep." Mark rubbed Lucy's back.

"No she's not." Cristina stated. Lucy's blue eyes were wide open but she was content where she was.

"Fine." He passed his daughter over to her aunt. "I'm going to get her bottle warmed up."

"Where's Lexie?" Meredith asked as she sat down.

"Gone to yell at the interns." Cristina replied as she watched Meredith make goo-goo faces at Lucy. "You're not going to want one of those are you?"

"Not right now. I get to hand her back when she cries."

When Mark got back he found Callie and Arizona cooing over the baby too.

"What is it with women and babies?"

"They're adorably cute." Callie answered.

"It's a survival of the species thing, if they weren't that cute women wouldn't go through the pain." Arizona added. "Especially when they remember that they grow up to be annoying teenagers like my last patient."

It was another fifteen minutes before Lexie got back to find Meredith finishing giving Lucy her bottle.

"Hey." Lexie smiled at the slightly annoyed looked annoyed look on Mark's face.

"Did you yell at them?" Cristina asked.

"Yes. We need to go and see the Chief in half an hour."

"You're on maternity leave." Mark reminded her again.

"So you keep telling me." She sat down. "Being a mother and a Doctor isn't mutually exclusive. I can do both."

"Fine." He huffed.

"Ignore him." Lexie told the others. "You interrupted Daddy daughter time and he's just annoyed. So Meredith are we still on for tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"What's tomorrow?" Mark asked.

"Massages." Meredith replied.

"And who is looking after Lucy?"

"She gets one too. It was a gift I got at the baby shower. By the way we got another wedding gift this morning, which you're going to hate."

* * *

When Lexie and Cristina were done with their crisis meeting they were walking back through the halls.

"I hate to ask this but I really need to go to the bathroom. Can you watch Lucy for a minute?"

"I'm not good with babies." Cristina protested.

"I'll be two minutes at most, I can pee really fast."

"Go, but she better not cry."

"Thank you." Lexie set the carrier down before heading to the nearest bathroom. Lexie had only been gone for thirty seconds when Lucy began to cry.

"Be quiet baby." Cristina tried to shush her, when she wouldn't stop Cristina picked her up, she instantly stopped crying. "So you just wanted someone to pick you up."

"Having fun there." Owen walked up to her with a bemused smile.

"I'm not good with kids."

"You seem to be doing ok. Hey Lucy."

Just then Lucy coughed.

"Here hold her. I need to listen to her chest." Cristina passed Lucy to him.

"She's fine." Owen tried to assure her.

"I can't give her back a broken baby."

"Everything ok?" Lexie asked when she came back.

"She was coughing." Cristina explained.

"She's fine. She had her six week check up this morning."

"I told you." Owen handed Lucy back to Cristina. "So I heard you solved Mark's case. Encephalitis from the fact he went to visit is quite impressive."

"I may have missed eight weeks of surgical time but I haven't been slacking off. I've read every book and journal Mark owns all of Derek's and two large boxes from Callie and Arizona. Anything you think I should be reading let me know."

"Aren't you supposed to be sleeping? Babies aren't supposed to sleep." Cristina asked.

"She sleeps pretty well. She goes to bed at 7 wakes up at 11.30 has some milk and if Mark puts her back to bed she'll sleep until five. I'm getting more sleep than when I'm working."

"I should get her home. Call me if you have any more problems with the interns."

* * *

Two weeks later Lexie was stitching up a gash in a woman's arm.

"Nice sutures." Mark commented over her shoulder.

"It's what I get for being married to a plastic surgeon."

"I'm going to check on Lucy." He kissed her forehead.

The woman who had been laying with her eyes closed as she hated needles opened her eye and looked at Mark.

"You're married to him?"

"Yes." Lexie replied.

"How did you manage to land him?"

"I went to his hotel room and took my clothes off."

"I was seriously asking."

"Unfortunately so was I." Lexie replied. "He's my brother-in-law's best friend. He didn't exactly have the best track record with relationships, but he mellowed a lot since he found I was pregnant and a whole lot more since our daughter was born."

"How old?"

"Eight weeks." Lexie smiled.

"And how long have you been married?"

"Eight weeks."

"You got married then had a baby."

"No the other way round." Lexie admitted. "Lucy was born at 4am and we got married at five in the evening. I figured life was too short to wait. My sister helped me organise the whole thing. There you're done. The nurse will give you wound care instructions and I'll write you a prescription for some mild painkillers, just don't drive while you're taking them."

"Thank you."

"Dr Grey." A nurse stuck her head in the room. "Dr Sloan is on the phone, he says Lucy has a temperature of 98.2 and you should take her home."

"She has a slight cold; her paediatrician says she's fine. Here temperature is normal range. Seriously he's worse than I am."

"But you love it." The nurse smirked.

"Unfortunately. I'll be right there."

THE END

A/N: Don't worry there is an epilogue to follow.


	10. Plus 14 years

**Plus 14 years**

"There he is, go and ask him." Lexie gave her fourteen year old daughter a gentle push in the direction of her father.

"Ask me what?" Mark turned from where he was making notations in a chart.

"Dylan asked me on a date Friday night." Lucy told him trying to hold back the excitement.

"No." Mark stated.

"Daddy please."

"You're too young to date." He crossed his arms.

"But Dad..."

"No." He said adamant.

"It's ok Luce; I'll take care of this." Her mother rubbed her arm reassuringly. "Go down stairs and find Maria she'll let you know which kids need reading to today."

Lucy had come to work with her parents on a bring your child to work day and had spent the day reading to the children in the paediatric ward, a thing she now did a few times a week.

Once Lucy was gone Lexie looked at her husband.

"She's too young." Mark stated.

"Mark, she's fourteen. I know what you were up to at fourteen."

"Exactly, I know how fourteen year old boys think."

"Mark, you've know Dylan since he was two when they moved in next door. He practically lives at our house. He's Lucy's best friend." She reminded him.

"She's still too young."

"Mark she's growing, she's always going to be your little girl but she'll be off to college before we know it."

"You're going to let her go whether I agree or not aren't you?"

"Yes. I'm going to drop them off and Kathy will pick them up."

"Fine but he better not try anything."

"Yes dear." Lexie kissed him.

"Thank god the others are too young for me to have to work this." He walked off.

"So Lucy told him about her date." Meredith who had overheard some of the conversation commented.

"Yes. She's so excited."

"And I take it you haven't told Mark yet."

"Told Mark what?" Derek walked up.

"Lexie's pregnant." Meredith supplied.

"Four girls wasn't enough for you?" Derek inquired.

"I think you're partially to blame for offering to have the kids for the weekend so we could go away for our anniversary." Since their anniversary was the same day as Lucy's birthday they celebrated on Valentine's Day instead. "And I'm telling him tonight, I've given him long enough to notice." Mark had figured out that Lexie was pregnant with their youngest daughter Amelia before she had.

* * *

Later that evening Lexie sat on the couch her feet curled up under watching TV when Mark came to join her.

"They are all finally in bed."

"So do you think we've finally got a hang of this parenting business?" Lexie asked innocently.

"It's a work in progress."

"It's a good thing we're going to have another one to practice on." She waited for him to process.

"You're pregnant?"

"It took you long enough to figure it out, I've only been throwing up for two weeks."

"You said you had food poisoning."

"So I thought for a few hours."

"Hang on. Morning sickness? You didn't morning sickness with any of the girls." He realised.

"I know. That's why my gut instinct says this is a boy. By the way I booked you in for surgery on Thursday."

"Surgery?" Mark ran a finger around his collar.

"I had your four children without the benefit of drugs I think you can handle a minor outpatient procedure before I have the fifth one."

"Ok." He conceded before kissing her. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"I knew I should have bought you a bigger house."

"I love this house and it's plenty big enough. We move Lucy up into the attic, Zoe and Amy can move into Lucy's room since it's bigger and Hayley can stay where she is which gives us a spare room for the baby."

"You've thought this through."

"Of course. Now come here." She tugged on his shirt and pulled him closer and kissed him. She almost had shirt off when a voice from upstairs called.

"Daddy I'm thirsty."

"I'll be right there." He groaned.

"Parenthood, they never said it was easy."

"Stay right where you are and I'll be back." He told her.

"You'd better.

THE END


End file.
